What better time could there be than a global pandemic, that has led to closures of museums and public landmarks across the world, to stage a historic heist in Europe, which has been rocked by several high-profile heists from the UK to Germany in recent years.

The Associated Press reported Monday morning that a priceless Van Gogh painting was stolen from a museum in the Netherlands, the home country of the post-impressionist painter who is one of the most important figures in western art. Van Gogh died in 1890, when he was in his late 30s, committing suicide after a life of poverty, marred by mental illness and substance abuse.

The painting was stolen during a brazen overnight raid that took advantage of the weak security at all museums around Europe as the virus lowers staffing levels in industries from security to tech to...everything.

There's no word yet on which painting as stolen, but the museum is reportedly the Singer Laren Museum in Amsterdam.

"I dream of painting and then I paint my dream" - Vincent Van Gogh pic.twitter.com/SEUyisZc4c

— ???? (@sidyeylaugo) March 30, 2020

The artwork - "Spring Garden" - was taken in a raid in the early hours of the morning. Dutch police are investigating the theft, according to the FT.

Ironically, March 30 is Van Gogh's birthday...he would have been 167 today.

By Zerohedge.com