Thursday, 30 January 2025

Two Men Arrested in Assen Museum Robbery Enquiry Named [UPDATED]



In their investigation of the burglary at the Drents Museum on the morning of Saturday, January 25 in which four antiquities were stolen, Dutch police are seeking more information about the whereabouts of two arrested suspects ('Dutch Police share Identities and Photos of Two Suspects in Drents Museum Burglary' ArtDependence 31.01.2025). They were named as: Douglas Chesley Wendersteyt (36?) and Bernhard Zeeman (34), both from Heerhugowaard, Netherlands. The identity of a third suspect, a woman from Heerhugowaard, has for some reason not yet been disclosed. Police are also asking a man photographed in a hardware store before the robbery to come forward, so far it seems he has not done so. 

The police began tracking the suspects after discovering a bag left behind in Assen. Clothing was also found inside the bag. The police have now released photos of the bag and clothing, as well as the exact location where the bag was found.

The suspects drove, among other things, a grey Volkswagen Golf with license plate P-343-RL. This car was stolen in Alkmaar and then had its number plates replaced by another, stolen one (K-813-BK) obtained in Witmarsum. The car was found burnt out soon after the robbery  in Rolde. The car was seen in Groningen on 23 January and not again in Assen until 25 January. Police would like to know where the suspects and car were in the meantime.

The investigation team also draws attention to a dark-colored Ford Transit, which may have been involved in the robbery.

On X-Twitter, a tentative connection has been made between one of the named men and a social media post, but in general, the two named men do not seem to have been active much on social media under those names.

Update
It is being reported that both Wendersteyt and Zeeman have been involved in burglaries in the past, the latter being convicted after a brutal home invasion  in Heerhugowaard and reportedly received a heavy prison sentence (here too). 

Meanwhile a local newspaper is reporting ('Aangehouden verdachten kunstroof zijn jong stel met kleine kinderen'  30.01.2025) that a young couple were arrested the day earlier in  Schoorlaan in Heerhugowaard a usually quiet street with mainly social housing (the photo of the house shown matches that shown in the Twitter thread claiming to identify Wendersteyt). This arrest was reportedly in connection with the art theft in the Drents Museum. "The police cannot confirm anything during the investigation".
Local inhabitants who spoke to De Telegraaf say that the two have young children, including a baby. The disbelief in the street is great. "It seemed like he was just going to work. She was always at home with the children. She is busy with an art theft? Surely not?", asks a resident.

Allegedly, the wife might be Iraqi


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