Bungling art thieves let masterpiece slip
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Run in, grab the paintings, jump in the car and go. After weeks of planning and hours of surveillance, it all came down to a few seconds and a handful of simple tasks for the team of Belgian art robbers. And they still blew it.
The first stage went smoothly for the three masked raiders who burst into a museum in Ghent and ripped two works by the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens from the wall.
But then it all went wrong. They did manage to reach the getaway car with one of the paintings but museum staff dismissed it as "unmarketable". The other, described as "priceless", was left on the floor of the museum after one of the criminals dropped it. No wonder Hercule Poirot went abroad for a challenge.
While police were looking for the missing 17th century sketch and the art robbers were looking for a replacement for their butter-fingered accomplice staff at the Fine Arts Museum were checking security arrangements to ensure there was no repeat of the attempt to steal the more famous Rubens original.
The museum curator, Robert Hoozee, said Flagellation of Christ was not badly damaged when the robber dropped it during the hasty withdrawal. The painting was part of a series of works Rubens contributed to, representing the "15 Mysteries of the Rosary" painted around 1617.
The robbers managed to escape with the lesser valued The Hunt for the Caledonian Wild Boar, one of two versions of the canvas in existence and valued at about £120,000.
Mr Hoozee said the oil sketch was so closely linked to Rubens that it was practically unmarketable.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments