| Two Van Gogh paintings stolen |
| Major paintings by Van Gogh always sell for millions of dollars. |
| A MUSEUM SPOKESWOMAN said the paintings were taken from the main exhibition hall where scores of Van Gogh�s works were on display. One was the 1882 �View of the Sea at Scheveningen,� a small beach scene of a boat setting off into a stormy sea near The Hague. The paint contains grains of sand that were blown up from the beach as Van Gogh worked. |
| The second was an 1885 picture of the church at Neunen, a village in the south of the Netherlands where Van Gogh�s father had been the pastor. The value of the paintings was not immediately known, but major paintings by Van Gogh always sell for millions of dollars. |
| The museum, first opened in 1973 near the century-old Rijksmuseum, has the world�s largest collection of works by the Dutch painter, but also houses the work of other leading 19th century impressionists. Police found a broken window one story above street level, and a 15-foot ladder leaning against the rear of the building. Forensics officers were seen carrying away bits of glass from the window and a blanket or large cloth that may have been used by the thieves. |
| The break-in was discovered before 8 a.m. Saturday, two hours before the museum was due to open to the public.It was the second high-profile heist in the Netherlands in a week. On Monday, thieves raided a diamond exhibition at the Museon in The Hague, about 30 miles south of Amsterdam. Museum officials said millions of dollars worth of gems were taken. |
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| Dutch police examine a smashed window on the roof of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam on Saturday. |
| AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Dec. 7 � Thieves broke into Amsterdam�s Van Gogh Museum overnight and stole two paintings by the legendary 19th century Dutch artist, police said Saturday. |
| View of the Sea at Scheveningen |
| Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen |
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| Stary Night |
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