Dutch police arrest a suspect in a botched art heist of Andy Warhol screenprints

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Police arrested a 23-year-old man Tuesday connected suspicion of engagement successful a botched creation heist astatine a assemblage successful nan confederate Netherlands targeting 4 valuable Andy Warhol screenprints.

The apprehension came days aft thieves blew unfastened nan doorway of an creation assemblage successful nan municipality of Oisterwijk past week and stole 2 useful from a celebrated bid of Warhol surface prints of nan erstwhile queens of nan United Kingdom, Netherlands, Denmark and Swaziland that is now called Eswatini. Two much prints were left, severely damaged, successful nan thoroughfare arsenic nan thieves fled.

In a little statement, constabulary did not opportunity if nan missing artworks were recovered successful a drawstring of raids successful Oisterwijk and adjacent towns and cities, including 1 successful Belgium. A spokeswoman declined to springiness immoderate much details.

The assemblage owner, Mark Peet Visser, said nan stolen useful had not been found, and a restorer is assessing nan 2 damaged prints.

Last week, Visser said video footage of nan heist showed that nan 4 prints were “damaged beyond repair” by what he described arsenic “amateurish” thieves who had to time off 2 of nan prints down because they didn't fresh successful nan getaway car.

Police said nan suspect, who was not identified successful statement pinch Dutch privateness rules, was detained successful Berkel-Enschot, conscionable six kilometers (four miles) from Oisterwijk.