That the objects were in a large room is also not good for security, says Cremers. “Once you get through that outer shell, you can go anywhere.”
According to Cremers, the insurers have not learned anything in recent years from all the robberies committed. “In 2002 the Museon in The Hague was robbed of the Portuguese crown jewels. They were never found. In the Westfries Museum in Hoorn, 24 paintings were stolen and in 2012 a number of paintings from the Kunsthal in Rotterdam were also a number of paintings.”
The same insurance broker was always involved in those robberies and also with the Roof in the Drents Museum, Cremers reports. “I dare to draw the conclusion that the insurance broker did not learn from all those incidents. Every time it went wrong because of poor security. He has to scratch well.”
“All eyes are focused on the Drents Museum, but they are at the end of the chain of responsibilities,” says Cremers. “At the beginning the museum is in Romania, they should have set clear requirements. Another important responsible person is the Dutch government. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has a National Service for Cultural Heritage. They are partly guaranteed for the Damage and that service is seriously failed in setting requirements for the level of security and should have supervised more. “
Cremers is very concerned about Harry Tupan, the director of the Drents Museum. “That is the man who gets everything about him. But he has thought he can rely on the expertise of the insurance broker and the National Service for Cultural Heritage. In fact, he is the victim.”
