Dutch police detain suspect after botched Andy Warhol art heist

Dutch police have arrested a 23-year-old man, suspecting his involvement in a botched art heist at a gallery in southern Netherlands, which targeted four screen prints created by American pop artist Andy Warhol.

The arrest follows a break-in last week, where thieves blew open the door of MPV Gallery and stole two works from Warhol’s series depicting former queens of the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Denmark, and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

Two additional prints, severely damaged, were abandoned on the street as the thieves fled.

Gallery owner Mark Peet Visser said the heist early Friday in the town of Oisterwijk was captured on security cameras, and called it “amateurish.”

In a brief statement, police did not say if the missing artworks were recovered in a string of raids in Oisterwijk and nearby towns and cities, including one in Belgium. A spokeswoman declined to give any more details.

The suspect, who was not identified in line with Dutch privacy rules, was detained in Berkel-Enschot, just six kilometres (four miles) from Oisterwijk.

Visser said the stolen works had not been found, and a restorer is assessing the two damaged prints.

Video editor • Theo Farrant