In July 2013 from the Brussels Museum van Buuren stole 10 valuable paintings and graphic works of art — the work of Kees van Dongen, James Ensor, Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Adriaen Brouwer, and others. the Robbery took place under cover of night, in just two minutes. The thieves knew about the hanging pictures and took specific things. The total value of stolen works is estimated at 1.5 to 2 million Euro@

Almost two years later, the Museum staff went on a desperate step — they discuss with robbers possibility of the return of the paintings after payment of ransom. This was reported by the TV channel TV Brussels.

"We have to choose between two evils, says art expert Jacques lust (Jacques Lust) in an interview with TV Brussels. — Not to enter into negotiations so <...> have little chance to see these works again." On the other hand, "having entered into contact with the robbers, you can find a solution — if we agree to pay them money."

the Museum Staff and the police not to disclose details of the case, but one thing is certain: in the underworld are becoming increasingly popular robbery, which set as its original purpose is not the sale of stolen works of art, and obtaining a ransom for them vozvrashenie@

"This happens more and more often, says lust. — Of course, not all the details are in the media. If the case is resolved, no one will know how much I had to pay for it, sometimes not disclosed even the fact that the works were stolen. But such cases more and more."

Among the paintings stolen from the van Buuren Museum in 2013, the most expensive —the work of Kees van Dongen's "Thinker" in 1907, estimated at 1.2 million euros. Another stolen exhibit — James Ensor painting "Shrimp and scallops" — estimated at about 200 thousand euros. Among others was stolen and painting "Peasant woman peeling a potato", which is issued for the work of van Gogh, but may be poddelka@

Material was prepared by Maria Onuchin, AI

Sources: artnet.com, artinvestment.ru