Thieves broke into Dresden’s Grünes Gewölbe early Monday morning, police said.
The eastern German museum, known in English as the Green Vault, houses Europe’s largest collection of treasures.
Police said the thieves targeted the historic section of the museum, which is divided into two sections — the historic treasure chamber of Augustus II the Strong dating to 1733, and the new section, which displays individual treasures.
Authorities are still assessing what was taken from the collection.
Tabloid newspaper Bild reported that the museum’s power supply was possibly sabotaged by a fire before the break-in. The responsible energy supplier confirmed the incident and said it was investigating if the two events were linked.
Bild reported that the thieves had exclusively targeted jewellery, and that they entered through a small window. There was no damage visible from outside the building.
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The most spectacular art robberies in history
When Mona Lisa’s smile disappeared
The world’s most famous portrait, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” was stolen in 1911. A young Italian named Vincenzo Peruggia took the painting from the Louvre in Paris. Dressed as a member of the museum staff, he was able to hide the relatively small painting under his work coat. It reappeared in 1913 after an art dealer alerted the police.
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The most spectacular art robberies in history
The world’s most frequently stolen painting
Rembrandt’s portrait of “Jacques III de Gheyn” wasn’t stolen from Britain’s Dulwich Picture Gallery just once, but four times, namely in 1966, 1973, 1981 and 1986. That’s why it came to be nicknamed the “Takeaway Rembrandt.” Fortunately the painting has been recovered after each theft.
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The most spectacular art robberies in history
Art robbery in Boston remains a mystery
The burglary of 13 paintings from the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum stirred international attention in 1990. Two men disguised as policemen broke into the building and removed the paintings, among them Edouard Manet’s “Chez Tortoni” and Jan Vermeer’s “Concert” (pictured). The empty picture frames are still hanging on the walls.
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The most spectacular art robberies in history
Spectacular Van Gogh theft
In 1991, a man managed to lock himself into a bathroom in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam — unnoticed. With the help of a warden, he removed a total of 20 paintings, among them the Dutch painter’s “Self portrait with Easel.” However, police were able to recover the works from the getaway car just one hour later. The thieves were caught a few months later.
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The most spectacular art robberies in history
Da Vinci disappeared for years
“Madonna of the Yarnwinder” by Leonardo da Vinci, valued at €70 million ($76 million) was stolen from a Scottish castle in 2003. Two thieves who entered an exhibition as tourists overpowered the security guard at Drumlanrig Castle and fled with the precious artwork. It remained lost for years until it was discovered during a raid in Glasgow in 2007.
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The most spectacular art robberies in history
Armed assault on the Munch Museum
Two paintings by expressionist Edvard Munch, “The Scream” and “Madonna,” were stolen in Oslo in 2004. Two armed robbers invaded the Munch Museum and, witnessed by numerous visitors, ripped the paintings from the wall. Police were able to retrieve the two famous paintings. However, “The Scream” was damaged so badly during the incident that it could never be fully restored.
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The most spectacular art robberies in history
Europe’s biggest art burglary
In 2008, armed thieves pilfered four paintings amounting to a total value of 180 million Swiss francs (€156 million, $182 million) from the collection Bührle in Zurich. “The Boy in the Red Vest” by Paul Cézanne, “Ludovic Lepic and His Daughters” by Edgar Degas, “Blossoming Chestnut Branches” by Vincent van Gogh, and “Poppy Field Near Vétheuil” by Claude Monet (pictured) all resurfaced later on.
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The most spectacular art robberies in history
Theft of a 100-kilo gold coin in Berlin
In March 2017, a huge gold coin weighing 100 kilos was stolen from Berlin’s Bode Museum. Just its sheer material value alone amounts to four million dollars. It is believed that the thieves found their way into the building through a window. The “Big Maple Leaf” coin originated in Canada. It is 53 cm high and 3 cm thick. On the front side, it bears an image of Queen Elizabeth II.
Author: Ines Eisele (ad)
People of Saxon robbed
Saxony State Premier Michael Kretschmer announced he was on his way to the scene and denounced the crime. “Not only the state art collections were robbed, but we Saxons,” Kretschmer said.
“The treasures that can be found in the Green Vault and in the Residence Palace have been hard-won by the people in the Free State of Saxony over many centuries.
“One cannot understand the history of our country, our Free State, without the Green Vault and the State Art Collections of Saxony.”
Police said they were still investigating what had been taken
Across 10 highly-decorated rooms, about 3000 pieces of jewellery and other masterpieces made of gold, silver, precious stones, ivory and other valuable materials are displayed.
The building was damaged in WWII but was subqequently repaired. Since its reopening in September 2006, it has been one of Dresden’s tourist magnets.
aw/rt (dpa, AFP)
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