Germany arrests man suspected of trying to sell stolen Picasso, Monets back to Dutch owner

AMSTERDAM – German prosecutors say they have arrested a man on suspicion of trying to sell paintings, including a Picasso and two Monets that were stolen in a major heist in the Netherlands last year, back to their owner.

Cologne’s head prosecutor Ulrich Bremer, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the 46-year-old German was arrested on Wednesday near Freiburg in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, on a warrant from his office.

The man, whose name Bremer would not release, is suspected of blackmail for allegedly offering to sell the paintings back to the Triton foundation. The paintings were stolen from the Kunsthal gallery in Rotterdam in October, and have not been recovered.

Three Romanian men suspected of carrying out the heist are in custody in Bucharest.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.