Explore the Investigation about the Theft of this artwork, View of Auvers-sur-Oise.
The Thames Valley Police assigned six officers to investigate. They knew their own resources would not be enough. "This is not a crime which is going to be solved overnight." said a spokesman. "We are more used to run-of-the-mill crimes. We need expertise." Accordingly they had called in specialists in art theft; customs officers at airports and harbours had been alerted in case anyone tried to take the painting out of Britain, although police believed that it was more likely in the possession of some domestic collector.At first police withheld some details of the crime in case a ransom request came in. Later in January they believed they were on the verge of recovering it after receiving a tip that it had been seen in a West Midlands pub. When they went there to investigate, it turned out to be a copy, its paint still wet, being painted by the landlord.As of 2021, no other leads have come in that police have discussed publicly; the investigation continues. In 2005 the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) named the theft one the world's top ten art crimes; its Art Crime Team actively seeks information from the public that may lead to the recover of View of Auvers-sur-Oise.
Federal Bureau of Investigation West Midlands customs officers Thames Valley Police art theft Auvers-sur-Oise