Thieves in the Netherlands used explosives to force entry into an art gallery on Friday, stealing two rare screen prints by American pop artist Andy Warhol.
According to MPV Gallery owner Mark Peet Visser, the suspects also abandoned two more works which were significantly damaged in the street as they fled.
Visser told the Associated Press that the suspects attempted to steal all four works from Warhol’s 1985 “Reigning Queens” series. The Warhol portraits depict Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and Queen Ntombi Tfwala of Swaziland (now Eswatini).
In a phone interview with the Associated Press, Visser described the heist as “amateurish.” Visser stated that the entire heist was captured on security cameras.
He said, “The bomb attack was so intense that my entire building was destroyed, and nearby stores were also damaged. So they executed that part well, too well actually. And then they rushed to the car with the artworks, and it turned out that they wouldn’t fit in the car.”
“At that point, the works were torn out of the frames, and you also know that they are damaged beyond repair, because it is impossible to remove them undamaged,” added Visser.
The stolen portraits included those of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Margrethe II, while the damaged portraits of Queen Beatrix and Queen Ntombi Tfwala were left behind on the street.
Visser declined to estimate the value of the signed, numbered works, which he had planned to display as a set at an upcoming art fair.
Police are actively investigating and seeking witnesses in this case. Forensic experts examined the destroyed gallery on Friday.
Mark Peet Visser with the MPV Gallery did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.