Recently ARTinvestment.RU told that Dutch police have found eight paintings stolen from gallery in Maastricht in 1987 . Recall that they were paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Pierre-Auguste Renoir), Camille Pissarro (Camille Pissarro), Eva Gonzales (Eva Gonzales), David Teniers (David Teniers), Willem van de Velde, Jr. (Willem van de Velde , Jr.), by Jan Bruegel, Jr. (Jan Brueghel the Younger) and Paul Désiré Truybera (Paul Desiré Trouillebert).

Police managed to detain three suspects: 45-year-old German living in Dubai, its 62-year-old mother, living in the district PLOMBIERES in Belgium, and 66-year-old resident of the Dutch village Valem. To reach the trail of criminals, the police had to arrange the transaction for the implementation.

The hearing on the case had already begun. The main question that must be answered criminals - who was the chief organizer of the robbery. According to one of the participants in the investigation, private detective Zeydema Ben (Ben Zuidema), there is every reason to believe that the robbers hired none other than the owner of the gallery Noortman Robert (Robert Noortman).

According to «release», February morning in 1987 Noortman learned that the thieves entered the gallery on the outskirts of Maastricht, and kidnapped nine valuable paintings, including «Polyana» Renoir, «Bouquet of Flowers» Eva Gonzalez and « The banks of the Seine. Buzhival »Pissarro. Dutch police launched an investigation that lasted several years, but no trace of the thieves she found it was not possible. Then the art-dealer to seek the assistance of Ben Zeydeme, whose investigation is also not a success. British company Lloyds, insured the painting, had to pay compensation in Noortmanu five million guilders (2.8 million dollars).

According to Zeydemy, he appeared informant who told the art dealer himself initiated the robbery in order to get compensation. Informant also said that Noortman burned pictures. The police was receptive to these allegations, but to prove the guilt Noortmana they have not succeeded. In January 2007, art dealer, died of a heart attack.

At the end of last year with a Zeydemoy contacted Mr. Kahn, who called the private detective. According to Cana, one of his clients told him that in 1987 Noortman paid him for the fact that he was robbed of his gallery. December 5, Zeydema, Kang and soobschnitsa latter, presented Mrs. Becker met in the city Rurmond.

Zeydeme Kahn said that the art dealer had told his clients to burn all the pictures. But the robber is not obeyed and burned only one canvas, and the others took themselves Noortmanu saying that all the work destroyed. Kahn told the detective that they are going to blackmail Becker heirs Noortmana, and invited him to participate and promised reward of one million euros. Zeydema to pretend that he is very interested in the proposal of Qana. After returning home, the detective contacted the police. Together they developed a plan of operation to apprehend the criminals.

Kan Zeid was going to use as an intermediary: a private detective was to take his picture and to suggest their company Lloyds. After Zeydema agreed to help him, the offender went to pieces, not suspecting that all his movements closely following the police. Kana and his accomplices managed to arrest in the city of Valkenburg, at the very moment when he and his associates loaded canvas of the truck. They immediately gave the police six paintings and two surfaced in Valeme. The criminals obviously do not differ a great love for art - some of the paintings found impossible to watch without tears, in such poor condition they are.

One of the criminals was the former head of Dubai office of one of the world's largest companies engaged in organizing conferences. He previously worked in Frankfurt and a half years ago, settled in the Emirates. In November last year, he resigned, but Dubai is not left, despite the fact that Germany was waiting for his wife and two children.

For Friends and colleagues of his arrest became an offender uniform shock. «He was our chief for about four months ago - said one of the company. - He was married but his wife lived in Frankfurt and came here to stay. He suddenly resigned, I do not know why. He was a good chief and a pleasant person. I can not believe that he was arrested. He was very hardworking and well-performed their work. In the company of his loved and respected, but his private life, he never told ».

Another former colleague, told that the offender previously lived in a luxurious villa in Dubai Al Barsha district, but recently moved. About where he settled, the company's employees do not know anything. «He was a very remarkable man, very charming - she added. - About the art of his passion, I had no knowledge».

Under Dutch law, police can not investigate crimes committed more than twenty years ago. But since pictures are still on the lists of missing, suspects were charged with attempting to sale of stolen goods and money laundering.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Source: thenational.ae , artinvestment.ru