The commotion started on December 12, when Assen woke up without the Van Gogh replica. A sign had been placed at the site of the meter-high apparition. It said: I was a bit surprised last night, I am now somewhere else with my brush.
It is suspected that the statue was stolen by a New Year’s Eve club. In recent years they have been doing these kinds of antics more often, with prominent images disappearing overnight in the run-up to New Year’s Eve.
A tour by RTV Drenthe along New Year’s Eve associations (De Oliebol from Vledder, De Nachtdravers from Donkerbroek, De Geitefok from Oldeberkoop, Vesuvius from Elsloo and Tied Zat from Zorgvlied, ed.) did not yet provide a clear picture of who was responsible for this ‘stunt’. taken.
Westervaarder does not want to blame any of these clubs. “I don’t dare say so. We have also been in contact with several New Year’s Eve associations, but they leave it open.”
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