Art heist of Munch's The Scream and Madonna

 

Hi guys! How are you doing? I’d like to apologize since last week I didn’t add a post, but don’t worry! Now I bring more information about another art heist. Now, I think almost everybody know about Edvard Munch’s The Scream painting, the one in the picture in the right.  Now you remember? Nice, but I’ll also tell about other art heist that actually happened at the same date, at the same museum, and at the same corner. Edvard Munch’s Madonna, not the singer we now but the painting, just in case you were wondering about that (the picture in the left). If you find this kind of shocking, then let me warn you that this theft is different than the last ones -Mona Lisa and The Duke of Wellington-. (BBC News)

 How so? Well, first than all, I got to tell you that there are two versions of this theft, one says that the thieves just took the paintings and left a note saying something like “Thanks for the poor security”, and went out to a car that was waiting them. (Iqbal) The other version is the one I’m going to tell you. I trusted more this version because the information I found out about it was from BBC News and CNN and so, that were published either on the same date of the theft or the day after. I’m telling you this so that, if you look for information and you get the other version, or if someone randomly tells you about this story, then you could know the truth, what really happened.

Okey then, moving on, let’s continue with the theft. This theft is different than the last ones because, first, both paintings weren’t simply taken and tucked under the jacket of the person who stole them or so… no, they were taken at gunpoint by the thieves. Both paintings were stolen in Sunday, 22 August 2004, in broad daylight. It seems there were two mask robbers that entered from the cafeteria of the museum and directly went to where the paintings were placed (looks like they already knew about them). There, some witnesses said one man was pointing at them with the gun, as in controlling them, while the other one snatch the paintings off the wall, and finally both got out to a waiting car. The thing here I thought was the most surprising was that the paintings were hung on with nothing else but wires, there wasn’t neither an alarm when taking them, nor there were any guards near the paintings, there weren’t hard security, considering they are kind of cultural treasures.  (BBC News) (CNN)

Jorunn Christofferson, an officer from the museum, said that they were more concern about the visitors than of the theft. You know, even if it looks like an excuse, I think this was a really good decision, because we all know that the paintings can be localized in the future, but lives don’t. But still both paintings were found (thanks to a witness that identified the car that was waiting the thieves), and returned in the same day. The only problem was that the paintings were cut in pieces, like if the thieves were thinking that if they were caught, they at least would have some pieces to sell them. There were no injuries and no shots were fired. (Christofferson) (BBC News)

I hope you all enjoyed it, and sorry that it was really long, but I still think it is a very interesting story. Post you next week… Comments! :D

Words: 592

Stephany Gómez Oropeza 

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