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Gang robs Zurich of top paintings | Gang robs Zurich of top paintings |
(about 3 hours later) | |
An armed gang has stolen four paintings worth some $160m (£82m) by the great painters Cezanne, Degas, Van Gogh and Monet from a museum in Zurich. | An armed gang has stolen four paintings worth some $160m (£82m) by the great painters Cezanne, Degas, Van Gogh and Monet from a museum in Zurich. |
Swiss police said the robbery happened at the Emil Buehrle Collection on Sunday. The three thieves are at large. | Swiss police said the robbery happened at the Emil Buehrle Collection on Sunday. The three thieves are at large. |
The gang threatened a security guard before seizing the works. The art theft is one of the biggest in the world in the last 20 years. | The gang threatened a security guard before seizing the works. The art theft is one of the biggest in the world in the last 20 years. |
It comes just days after two Picasso paintings were stolen near Zurich. | It comes just days after two Picasso paintings were stolen near Zurich. |
HOW THE THEFT HAPPENED 1: Zurich police say the three robbers entered the museum just before it shut on Sunday2: Officers say one of the men used a gun to force 15 visitors and several staff to the floor3: Police say his two accomplices then seized the four paintings from a ground-floor display hall - according to the museum website, the Music Room4: Eyewitnesses say the robbers loaded the art into a white vehicle in front of the museum and drove off. It was all over in three minutes, police say | |
The four paintings stolen on Sunday are: Poppies near Vetheuil, by Claude Monet (1879), Count Lepic and his Daughters, by Edgar Degas (1871), Chestnut in Bloom, by Vincent Van Gogh (1890) and Boy in a Red Jacket, by Paul Cezanne (1888), police said. | The four paintings stolen on Sunday are: Poppies near Vetheuil, by Claude Monet (1879), Count Lepic and his Daughters, by Edgar Degas (1871), Chestnut in Bloom, by Vincent Van Gogh (1890) and Boy in a Red Jacket, by Paul Cezanne (1888), police said. |
A police statement said the three masked men entered the museum in central Zurich at about 1630 local time (1530 GMT). | A police statement said the three masked men entered the museum in central Zurich at about 1630 local time (1530 GMT). |
One of the men threatened staff with a pistol, while the other two collected the paintings, it said. | One of the men threatened staff with a pistol, while the other two collected the paintings, it said. |
They were then loaded into a white vehicle parked outside the museum, the statement said. | They were then loaded into a white vehicle parked outside the museum, the statement said. |
Police said one of the thieves spoke German with a Slavic accent, and described the robbery as spectacular. | Police said one of the thieves spoke German with a Slavic accent, and described the robbery as spectacular. |
"We're talking about the biggest ever robbery carried out in Switzerland, even Europe," Zurich police spokesman Mario Cortesi told journalists. | "We're talking about the biggest ever robbery carried out in Switzerland, even Europe," Zurich police spokesman Mario Cortesi told journalists. |
Museum director Lukas Gloor said the stolen paintings were "the four finest in the museum's collection", the AFP news agency reported. | Museum director Lukas Gloor said the stolen paintings were "the four finest in the museum's collection", the AFP news agency reported. |
MAJOR RECENT ART THEFTS 2007 - Picasso's Portrait of Suzanne Bloch (worth £26m) stolen in Sao Paulo; later found 2004 - Munch's Scream and Madonna (valued at £10m) snatched in Oslo; recovered in 20062003 - Da Vinci's Madonna with the Yarnwinder (valued at £30m) stolen in Scotland; found in 20072002 - Van Gogh's two works (worth millions of dollars) stolen in Amsterdam | |
Mr Gloor said the works were so well-known that it would be impossible to try and sell them on the open market. | Mr Gloor said the works were so well-known that it would be impossible to try and sell them on the open market. |
The famous Emil Buehrle Collection contains some of the world's most important impressionist works, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Switzerland says. | The famous Emil Buehrle Collection contains some of the world's most important impressionist works, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Switzerland says. |
Picasso's oil paintings - Head of Horse and Glass and Pitcher - were taken from an exhibition in the town of Pfaeffikon last Wednesday. | Picasso's oil paintings - Head of Horse and Glass and Pitcher - were taken from an exhibition in the town of Pfaeffikon last Wednesday. |