Egypt detains undersecretary of culture ministry over Van Gogh theft

Egypt's top prosecutor ordered on Monday to detain the undersecretary of Culture Ministry after Van Gogh's masterpiece "poppy flower" was stolen from the Mahmoud Khalil museum in Cairo.

Egypt's official MENA News Agency said Mohsen Shalaan, chief of

fine art sector of the Ministry, was under custody for four days pending investigation over the theft as ordered by Prosecutor General Abdul Meguid Mahmoud.

Three museum staffs and an official were also under custody on bail.

Investigations showed the thief used a cutter to pluck the painting, valued 50 million U.S. dollars, out of its frame without being recognized by metal detectors.

The painting of the yellow and red flowers in a vase had been stolen before in 1977, but was found the next year.

Mahmoud on Sunday inspected the museum and detected that security measures at the museum were "inadequate."

"There are 43 security cameras but only seven are working. Each painting is protected by an alarm but again, none of them is working," Mahmoud told reporters.

Source: Xinhua