Views and News - The Scream Saga Continues - Oslo

Back in 2004, Edvard Munch's ‘The Scream’ (left) and ‘Madonna’, were stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo. It was a little like something from a Dom Jolly sketch. The thieves literally lifted the works from the gallery walls and strolled outside to the getaway car, a hatchback Audi, no less. Still, despite the Benny Hill setup, arrests were made and, under a blanket of press coverage, the trial is now on its way – or at least it would be, had it not been postponed until Tuesday.

This event has been one long saga from start to finish and when it will actually end, who knows. Once on its way, the trial is expect to last for five weeks, while evidence against the six defendants hangs on phone taps – and anyone who’s watched Law and Order knows that, within legislation, recorded conversations are never a sure-gone thing. In fact, these 'recordings' are the reason for the trial's postponement.

Meanwhile, the paintings are yet to be found. The chance of offloading them on the market is unlikely and although a reward has been posted, it’s a paltry amount when laid next to £10 million that the paintings are worth. No doubt the works will appear again in another hundred years or so, though what state they’ll be in is questionable. They’ve already been through a traumatic run of the mill. ‘The Scream’ (no doubt screaming) and ‘Madonna’, were apparently 'ripped' off the walls (well, the thieves did have to snap – yes snap – the wires from which the paintings hung), yanked from their frames and then, allegedly, left for safe hiding a bus.

Admittedly this whole saga isn’t quite as ridiculous as 1911 ‘Mona Lisa’ theft, when former Louvre employee, Vincenzo Peruggia, lifted the masterpiece, shoved it under his arm and strolled off into the great blue yonder. Nonetheless, it’s the stuff of legends are made off – and, let's be honest here, it's probably the last time we’ll see a hatchback being used in a robbery anywhere other than the local post office.