Posted on 08/22/2004 8:33:50 AM PDT by nuconvert
Munch's 'Scream' Stolen From Museum
Sunday, August 22, 2004
OSLO, Norway — Armed men stormed into an art museum Sunday, threatened staff at gunpoint and stole Edvard Munch's (search) famous paintings "The Scream" and "Madonna" before the eyes of stunned museum-goers.
The thieves yanked the paintings off the walls of Oslo's Munch Museum (search) and loaded them into a waiting car outside, said a witness, French radio producer Francois Castang.
Police spokeswoman Hilde Walsoe said the two or three armed men threatened a museum employee with a handgun to give them the two paintings, including one of four versions of "The Scream" — Munch's famed depiction of an anguished figure with its head in its hands.
"No one has been physically injured, and the suspects escaped in an Audi A6. We are searching for the suspects with all available means," Walsoe told The Associated Press. "We found the escape car, and we have found many pieces of the frames."
Many museum visitors panicked and thought they were being attacked by terrorists.
"He was wearing a black face mask and something that looked like a gun to force a female security guard down on the floor," visitor Marketa Cajova told NTB public radio.
"What's strange is that in this museum, there weren't any means of protection for the paintings, no alarm bell," Castang told France Inter radio.
"The paintings were simply attached by wire to the walls," he said. "All you had to do is pull on the painting hard for the cord to break loose — which is what I saw one of the thieves doing."
Castang said police arrived on the scene 15 minutes later. Visitors were ushered into the museum's cafeteria.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Wasn't "scream" stolen about 10 years ago?
Wouldn't this be a crime for the Special Victims Unit, just asking?
This seems like something from a cheesy movie.
Yes, by Howard Dean.
The robbers eventually found a pawn shop owner they could swindle into getting some money for the masterwork.
LOLOLOLO
They can always replace "The Scream" with "Daschle Saddened". Dunno about the other one, though....
They must have some real good donuts in Norway!
I think so, yes. During the Lillehammer olympics, if I recall correctly. By people climing in a window with ladders or some such. That museum has terrible security.
"Wasn't "scream" stolen about 10 years ago?"
Yes, I seem to remember a prior theft of this picture. This should be great for Norway tourism, armed men just charging into museums and ripping the art off the walls. Not what one expects!
And a related thread in the archives: Munch goes to Carnivores
LOL!
haha!
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