Two of the suspects in the Rotterdam Kunsthal art theft were sentenced to six years and eight months in prison on Tuesday by a Bucharest court.

The 29-year-old Radu D and the 25-year-old Eugen D were found guilty of the theft and of membership of a criminal organisation, the NRC reports.

Radu D took part in the robbery in October last year. Eugen D was responsible for transporting the stolen paintings to Romania.

18 years

Last week, the Bucharest public prosecution department asked for a maximum sentence of 18 years for robbery with ‘severe consequences’.

Seven paintings, including works by Monet, Picasso and Gauguin, were stolen during the break-in, which took just a few minutes. The fate of the works, valued at €18m, is still unclear.

The mother of one defendant claimed she had burned them in a stove, but later retracted her statement. Analysis of ashes at her home found traces of oil paint and nails. An investigation into the whereabouts of the works is still continuing.

Confessions

Six Romanian nationals are on trial for the theft, five of whom have confessed to their role in the robbery, including the two sentenced on Tuesday.

However, the judge has refused to accept the other three statements and wants to hear more witnesses. Their trial has been adjourned until December 3, NRC reports.

A seventh man, considered one of the two main suspects who actually carried out the robbery, is on the run.