8 years in prison for theft of Van Gogh and Hals paintings worth millions

An appeals court sentenced 59-year-old Nils M. to the maximum prison sentence of eight years for stealing two world-famous paintings, one produced by Vincent van Gogh and the other by Frans Hals. The canvases, worth millions, were stolen from museums in Laren and Leerdam in 2020. They are still missing to this day.

On 30 March 2020, the Van Gogh painting De Lentetuin, also known as The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring, was snatched from the Singer Laren museum. Five months later, on 26 August, the canvas Twee Lachende Jongens by Hals also disappeared from the Leerdam museum, Hofje van Mevrouw van Aerden. The paintings were displayed as part of each museum's main collection, though the Van Gogh is owned by the Groninger Museum.

According to the court, the evidence was persuasive. The court noted that DNA traces belonging to M. were found after the thefts. Parts of the frame were found at Singer Laren, also including DNA from M. Furthermore, according to the judges, there are strong similarities between the two art thefts. "Both times, it was a targeted action that took place within a short timeframe and in which one special painting by a famous painter, of great value, was removed," according to the court. The judges said the locations also resembled each other. "Relatively small museums with a relatively small collection, of which the removed painting was the masterpiece."

M. is believed to have acted together with an unknown man. The eight-year prison sentence was originally handed down in a verdict from the Lelystad court in 2021. The Public Prosecution Service demanded this sentence again on appeal. According to the court, the theft of very valuable paintings, with significant cultural and historical value, caused a great deal of commotion in the art world and society. The court did reduce the sentence imposed against M. in a separate case by fifty days.

M. has a long criminal record, including a conviction for art theft from a museum in Gouda in 2015. He has always denied having anything to do with the thefts in 2020. He has to pay compensation of more than 8.7 million euros to the Hofje van Mevrouw van Aerden museum for the missing Hals painting. The Singer Laren did not file a claim for damages.

M. was also convicted by the court for the possession of a firearm and ammunition, and the possession of over 10,000 MDMA pills.