The much-discussed webshop with caps and T-shirts that one of the perpetrators of the art theft in Assen appeared to have founded from prison reports that it has ‘sold out’ three days after the remarkable news. “But all orders placed are safe.” Parties in the House of Representatives are now asking whether running an online store from prison should not be banned.
In the wake of the condemnation by Douglas W., Jan B. and Bernhard Z., the men who stole some Romanian art treasures from the Drents Museum in Assen in early 2025, the remarkable news came out that Douglas W. had started a webshop in prison. A shop for clothing with the logo of one of the art treasures on it: the stolen golden helmet of Cotofenesti. W. also says on the site who he is and that he wants to ‘put a positive spin’ on the whole situation surrounding the stolen helmet.
W., like his mates sentenced to almost four years in prison, appeared in court wearing a shirt that read ‘book judgment‘ could be read. A reference to his site bookarrest.nl, which he founded in February, according to the Chamber of Commerce. T-shirts, caps and shorts are for sale with the logo of the golden helmet, which was eventually returned after negotiations with the robbers in exchange for a reduced sentence.
According to W.’s lawyers, who do not want to say much about it, ‘people around W.’ set up the site.
It is unclear whether it is due to the enormous attention or something else, but this Monday evening bookarrest.nl reported: ‘Our entire collection is currently sold out! Thank you very much for your support! To rebuild our inventory, we are temporarily pausing the webshop.’
‘Something special for the World Cup’
All orders are safe, the site also reports, ‘and will be delivered on schedule’. And this: ‘To make up for our absence, we will immediately bring something special for the World Cup.’
Douglas W.’s lawyers cannot be reached for comment. The 06 numbers that can be found behind the site do not work.
Prison as postal address
In the meantime, JA21 and the VVD have asked parliamentary questions to Minister David van Weel of Justice and Security and to State Secretary Claudia van Bruggen about Douglas W’s webshop. These include the question of whether a detainee may use the address of a prison as a postal address.
The VVD wonders, among other things, whether it is possible that someone who has always remained silent about his role in this case can simply set up a shop with T-shirts about the criminal offense. The party also wonders whether anything can be done: ‘What will you do to ensure that detainees cannot be involved in operating businesses while they are serving their sentences?’
JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans believes that Douglas W. ‘romanticizes’ his act with his shop and asks whether it is possible to ban this. The party also asks, among other things, whether it is possible to partially take away the proceeds from the webshop to cover part of the costs incurred in the process.