Samenvatting

This article provides insight into the approach of the Dutch police to the criminal trade in art, antiques and cultural goods. The authors begin with a brief historical sketch of the development of art crime, before examining the question of how the police in the Netherlands has organized itself in this field. The scope of art crime and how to determine it is also examined. Much information is available from various sources, but a thorough and adequate picture is lacking. Finally, a specific form of art crime is discussed, namely false art. Detecting false art is a tough process, because different parties involved often share the same interests, resulting in ‘walls of silence’.