Video released in Van Gogh theft at Singer Laren museum
Security cameras at the Singer Laren museum captured images of the early morning burglary in which the suspect made off with a prized Van Gogh painting. The artwork, titled “De Lentetuin”, was stolen from the museum in Laren, Noord-Holland at about 3:15 a.m. on March 30.
Police first showed the video on a broadcast of Opsporing Verzocht on Tuesday night. No suspects have been publicly identified in the case.
The primary suspect smashed open a glass door with a sledgehammer or a similar blunt object and entered the Singer Laren. The suspect then hustled through the gift shop, and broke open another glass door. Moments later the suspect fled the building carrying the sledgehammer in one hand, and the framed Van Gogh in the other.
“After the burglary alarm sounded, officers went straight to the museum,” police said. Officers could not find anyone involved in the crime in or around the museum.
Authorities have asked nearby residents for help in solving the case, and would especially like to obtain more security camera footage from the area. So far, police could not say how many suspects were involved in the crime.
"I am extremely pissed off that this happened. This is a huge blow," said museum director Jan Rudolph de Lorm at the time of the theft. The 136-year-old painting was on loan from the Groninger Museum at the time of the theft.
“We will ensure that it is back as soon as possible," said Groninger Museum director Andreas Bluhm shortly after the painting was stolen.
Painted in 1884, De Lentetuin portrays the garden of the Dutch Reformist Church in Nuenen, where Van Gogh's father was once the Vicar.
