AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Dutch police say they have recovered five valuable 17th century paintings snatched six years ago from the Frans Hals Museum in the Netherlands.
A museum spokesman told the BBC some of the works by Jan Steen, Cornelis Bega and Adriaan van Ostade had been damaged. However, the depictions of daily Dutch life in the 1600s were all expected to be back on display Wednesday.
De Telegraaf reported three people have been arrested in connection with the heist. Police said the thieves gained access to the masterpieces, which were valued at a total of about $4.3 million at the time they were stolen, by forcing open a museum window.
"What we know is that three of the five paintings have been damaged, but we don't know which or how badly yet," the museum's spokesman Louis Pireene told the BBC.
e say they have recovered five valuable 17th century paintings snatched six years ago from the Frans Hals Museum in the Netherlands.
A museum spokesman told the BBC some of the works by Jan Steen, Cornelis Bega and Adriaan van Ostade had been damaged. However, the depictions of daily Dutch life in the 1600s were all expected to be put back on display.
De Telegraaf reported three people have been arrested in connection with the heist. Police said the thieves gained access to the masterpieces, which were valued at a total of about $4.3 million at the time they were stolen, by forcing open a museum window.
"What we know is that three of the five paintings have been damaged, but we don't know which or how badly yet," the museum's spokesman Louis Pireene told the BBC.
