Bungling Thieves Fail to Steal Warhol Prints, Cause Damage at Dutch Gallery: U.S. News & World Report

In a baffling and amateurish attempt at a heist, a group of thieves managed to steal two valuable Andy Warhol prints and damage two more at a gallery in the Netherlands.

The daring robbery took place at the Van Gogh Gallery in Amsterdam, where the iconic prints were on display as part of a special exhibition. The thieves, described as “bungling amateurs” by gallery staff, attempted to break into the gallery in the dead of night but were quickly caught on surveillance cameras.

Despite their efforts to disguise themselves with ski masks and gloves, the thieves left behind a trail of evidence that led police straight to their hideout. Authorities were able to recover the stolen prints and apprehend the suspects within hours of the robbery.

Gallery owner, Hans Van Der Linde, expressed relief that the prints were recovered, but lamented the damage done to the other two pieces. “It’s a shame that these valuable works of art were treated so carelessly by these amateurs,” he said.

The stolen prints, valued at over $100,000 each, are expected to be returned to the gallery in time for the exhibition’s closing next week. In the meantime, security at the gallery has been tightened to prevent any further attempts at theft.

The botched heist has left many in the art world scratching their heads at the audacity of the thieves and the sheer incompetence of their execution. As the investigation continues, authorities are working to determine the motives behind the robbery and whether the thieves had any connections to the art world.