Art theft trial

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The valuable painting by Paul Signac, ‘Le Port de La Rochelle’ was stolen from the gallery by three people.

Museum staff reviewing the footage were shocked by the thieves’ brazen attitude which saw them enter the museum with only head coverings and their faces visible before removing the painting from its frame with a box cutter.

The thieves supposedly rolled up the canvas and carried it out of the museum under one of their coats, all in broad daylight.

The man on trial has repeatedly accused fellow Ukrainian, Vadym Huzhva of coordinating the attack. Huzhva has denied any link to the robbery, and was himself serving time in an Austrian prison for another art robbery at the time.