AMSTERDAM — In Hollywood movies, heists usually feature criminals who plan meticulously and use high-tech equipment to avoid detection.
But the thieves who snatched seven paintings by Picasso, Matisse and Monet worth millions from a gallery in Rotterdam appear to have taken a less glamorous approach, relying on speed and brute force.
In other words, the theft from the Kunsthal exhibition on avant-garde art was more “smash and grab” than “Ocean’s 11.”
The gallery is along a large road that leads to a roundabout, less than a mile away, connecting highways heading in three directions. The display space where the paintings once hung is a large square area, at ground level, visible from outside through glass walls.
“Speaking as a museum-goer, it’s fantastic,” said museum security expert Ton Cremers. “Speaking as a security expert, it’s a total nightmare.”
Dutch police said Wednesday they had no suspects in the case.
