The police described the wanted criminal as climbing the roof like a monkey.
Vincent van Gogh is known, among other things, for his sunflowers. Overview of the Van Gogh Museum. ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN, All Over Press
The police apologized when they arrested the art thief after a long manhunt.
The thief was Octave “Okki” Durham. He robbed together by Henk Bieslijn with two Vincent van Gogh painting directly from the wall of the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam in 2002 – from eight in the morning. The works were from the 1880s The congregation leaves the Nuenen Reform Church mixed Sea view in Scheveningen. The events are reviewed Art thefts of the century series in the opening sequence.
When the authorities finally tracked down the duo, Durham’s arrest proved difficult. The police were already at his home, when the man, who was calmly watching TV, managed to get away from the inspector From Bob Schagen wearing just a t-shirt. He climbed from the balcony of his apartment to the balcony above and continued until he reached the roof of his apartment building.
– Okki just pulled himself up, Schagen recalls on TV.
The congregation leaves Nuenen’s reform church work was painted for the artist’s mother. Over
Durham then fled the Netherlands via Belgium to Spain, where he was eventually tracked down. That’s when Schagen contacted his colleagues there.
– I called Spain and said that Okki is a real criminal. I said he escaped by climbing the roof like a monkey.
Durham was soon caught. In newspaper stories following his arrest, he was referred to as “Apina”.
– It shocked me a little, Schagen admits.
– “Oh no, now I’m considered a racist”, he recalls being scared.
When Durham and Schagen first met in Holland, Schagen confessed that he was behind the failed expression.
– Bob Schagen said, “You’re colored. I’m sorry, that wasn’t my intention,” Durham recalls on the show.
He forgave.
– I was very impressed because the police had never apologized. I won’t forget it.
Okki Durham and his accomplice Henk Bieslijn (pictured) were sentenced to 4.5 years in prison and ordered to pay damages of 350,000 euros. Over
The art thefts of the century today at Teema & Fem at 21:00 & Areena. See all TV programs and broadcast times in Telku’s TV guide.