– It has been a shock break-in where thieves backed in with a car and attempted to smash some large windows we have, says Knut Forsberg, who is the managing director of the auction house Blomqvist.
At around 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the burglary alarms were triggered. Forsberg was alerted via the alarm central.
– No, not again. But it’s been about 25 years since the last time, he adds.
– Extremely disappointed
The value of the items that were stolen varies from 5,000 to 50,000 kroner.
To VG, managing director Knut Forsberg says that the silver piece is likely the most expensive single item that was stolen. It is valued between 200,000 and 250,000 kroner, according to Forsberg.
The “Tank Louis” watch from Cartier was the most expensive watch that was stolen. It is worth around 50,000 to 60,000 kroner.
Forsberg believes, however, that the thieves were after watches and jewelry that are more expensive than those on display in the Fornebu premises.
– No, I believe they are extremely disappointed.
Has video footage
According to Forsberg, the thieves made many attempts with the car before they managed to smash the windows of the premises.
– They got in and stole some everyday watches and what we call some less valuable jewelry. And it’s possible that some luxury bags have also gone missing.
The premises have also suffered water damage after a water pipe was ripped off. A plumber and the fire department managed to stop the leak and have been working on removing the water.
Forsberg has reviewed surveillance footage of what happened. The cameras are placed inside the premises.
He says they backed into the window three times before they got in.
– First, one person enters and starts smashing displays and helping themselves. Then another comes, and they are out again very quickly, Forsberg recounts.
Several display cases have been smashed.
He says they were inside for about half a minute.
– Two that we could see. But if there were more in the car, we do not know.
The burglars were masked.
The burglars smashed their way into the premises, where they were for about 30 seconds.
Photo: SVEIN VESTRUM OLSSON / NRK
Has car type and registration number
The police have been working to interview witnesses and obtain videos.
Forensic technicians investigated the scene on Tuesday morning.
– Based on the information we have, a gray or silver Mercedes passenger car was used during the execution of the theft.
That is what Christina Borch, a police attorney and duty lawyer in the Oslo Police District, told NRK.
– We have reviewed some video, and based on the information we have there, we have a registration number to work from.
The police are treating the break-in as a serious theft.
– The penalty range will be imprisonment for up to six years, says Borch.
– A lot of hassle
The day will not go as planned for the managing director at Blomqvist auction house.
– It will be a lot of hassle then.
Police inside the premises.
Photo: SVEIN VESTRUM OLSSON / NRK
Blomqvist also has to clean up its online auction. Remove items that have been stolen, from the auction.
– These are privately owned items, so we need to find out who owns them. There will be a lot of extra work.
Despite the break-in, there was a lot the thieves did not manage to take during the night’s shock break-in.
– There is still a lot left. They did not take everything, says Forsberg.
Blomqvist Nettauksjon is located in Fornebu in Bærum in Akershus county.
Published
26.11.2024, 07:28
Updated
26.11.2024, 18:34
How has the break-in impacted the operations and reputation of Blomqvist Auction House?
Interview between Time.news Editor and Knut Forsberg, Managing Director of Blomqvist Auction House
Time.news Editor: Good afternoon, Knut. Thank you for joining us today. Unfortunately, it seems we’re discussing a rather shocking incident that happened at your auction house. Can you tell us about the break-in that occurred early Tuesday morning?
Knut Forsberg: Good afternoon, and thank you for having me. Yes, it was quite a shocking situation. The thieves backed into our premises with a car and attempted to smash through our large windows. It triggered the burglary alarms around 6 a.m.
Time.news Editor: That sounds terrifying. How did you react when you received the alert from the alarm central?
Knut Forsberg: Honestly, it was a replay of a moment I hoped would never return. I thought to myself, “Not again.” It’s been 25 years since we last experienced something like this.
Time.news Editor: That’s a long time without such an incident. What were the consequences of this break-in? Can you provide any details on the items that were stolen?
Knut Forsberg: We’re extremely disappointed. The value of the items that were stolen varies quite a bit, from around 5,000 to 50,000 kroner. However, the silver piece that was taken is likely our most expensive item, valued at between 200,000 and 250,000 kroner. The “Tank Louis” watch from Cartier was also stolen, valued around 50,000 to 60,000 kroner.
Time.news Editor: Did the thieves take the most valuable items, or were they after something different?
Knut Forsberg: It seems they were after higher-value watches and jewelry. Unfortunately, they left with some everyday watches and less valuable jewelry. I believe they might have been extremely disappointed with what they actually managed to get.
Time.news Editor: What do you think went wrong for the burglars during the heist?
Knut Forsberg: They made several attempts with the car before successfully smashing the windows. They entered for about half a minute, quickly took what they could, and then fled. Our surveillance footage shows they backed into the window three times before getting in. They were in and out so fast!
Time.news Editor: That’s quite an audacious plan. Did you manage to gather any evidence that could help in identifying the burglars?
Knut Forsberg: Yes, we have video footage from the cameras inside the premises. The burglars wore masks, making it harder to identify them. However, we were able to note the car used—a gray or silver Mercedes. The police are already working on this, interviewing witnesses and analyzing the footage.
Time.news Editor: It’s good to hear the police are on it. Were there any additional damages caused to the premises?
Knut Forsberg: Yes, indeed. Besides the smashed display cases, a water pipe was ripped off during the break-in, causing significant water damage. Thankfully, a plumber and the fire department were able to stop the leak quickly.
Time.news Editor: It sounds like an arduous experience for you and your team. How do you plan to recover from this incident and what steps will you take to enhance security in the future?
Knut Forsberg: Recovery will take some time, both emotionally and logistically. We’re assessing our security measures thoroughly and consulting with experts to strengthen our defenses. We want to ensure that this doesn’t happen again, so we’ll be taking every precaution necessary.
Time.news Editor: Thank you, Knut, for sharing your experience with us. We hope the investigation leads to a positive outcome and that your auction house can resume normal operations soon.
Knut Forsberg: Thank you for having me. I appreciate your concern and will keep you updated on any developments.