Theft at Dutch museum housing Picasso, Van Gogh: police

THE HAGUE - Agence France-Presse

The white spot on the wall marks the the place where one of the stolen paintings in the Kunsthal museum, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 16 October 2012. EPA Photo

Several paintings of considerable value were stolen from Rotterdam's Kunsthal museum where works by world-renowned 19th and 20th century artists including Picasso and Van Gogh hang, police said Tuesday.
 
"There was a break-in during the night and a few paintings were taken that represent a considerable sum," Rotterdam police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels told AFP.

"A major investigation is underway and forensics are at the scene," she said, adding that "for several reasons we can't say yet which works are concerned or which artists." One of the stolen paintings is likely by French artist Henri Matisse, the ANP news agency said, as one of its photographers took a picture early Tuesday of a broken wire hanging from the wall where one of his paintings had been.
 
"We're investigating how they got access, what time it happened and who did it," Wessels said.
 
The museum is showing works from the Triton Foundation as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, including paintings by Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Marcel Duchamp and Piet Mondriaan, according to its website.