Andy Warhol Prints Stolen in Clumsy Dutch Gallery Heist

In a daring act of theft, robbers forced open the door of an art gallery in southern Netherlands in a botched attempt to steal four screen prints from Andy Warhol’s renowned series. While they did escape with two pieces, they heavily damaged the others during the heist.

Gallery owner Mark Peet Visser explained that the targeted prints were part of Warhol’s 1985 series, known as Reigning Queens, which features iconic portraits of the reigning monarchs of the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Swaziland—now known as Eswatini.

The incident occurred early Friday morning at MPV Gallery in Oisterwijk and was captured on security cameras. Visser described the thieves’ tactics as amateurish, stating, “Their explosive entry was so intense that it caused damage to my entire building and several nearby shops.”

Despite the chaos, the criminals discovered that the artwork did not fit into their getaway vehicle. In their haste, they tore two works from their frames, resulting in irreparable damage. The remaining pieces were left on the street, also marred.

While Visser declined to specify the value of the stolen works, he noted he intended to present them as a set at an upcoming art fair in Amsterdam. The thieves successfully made off with portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and former Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, while the prints featuring former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and the Queen Mother of Eswatini were abandoned.

Dutch art detective Arthur Brand remarked on the unusual use of explosives, a rare occurrence in art thefts. He emphasized the need for public assistance as police continue their investigation into the incident.