Police question witnesses in Swedish art heist

Among the paintings stolen was this self-portrait by Rembrandt

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Reuters) -- Police said on Wednesday they were questioning about 25 witnesses to the $30 million art robbery from Sweden's National Museum, but were not much closer to tracking down the missing masterpieces or the gang.

Three masked robbers, armed with pistols and a submachine gun, burst into the museum just before closing time on Friday and seized a Rembrandt and two Renoirs.

They escaped by boat after setting cars on fire and strewing the road outside the museum with spikes.

"We are still at the beginning of the investigation. We are questioning witnesses," said Leif Jennekvist, head of the national police's regional criminal investigation department. Ten officers are questioning about 25 witnesses, including museum employees, visitors and taxi drivers, he told Reuters.

Others are making enquiries in the art world, comparing similar crimes and checking up on known Swedish criminals.

The three robbers got away with a self-portrait by the Dutch master Rembrandt and two works by French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir -- "A Young Parisienne" and "Conversation."

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Rembrandt fetches record price
December 13, 2000
Stolen masterpiece returned to Germany
December 5, 2000

Sweden's National Museum
Renoir Collection
Rembrandt

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.