'Spiderman art thief' goes on trial over stolen Matisse and Picasso masterpieces

An art thief with “the climbing abilities of Spider-Man” stole five masterpieces from a Parisian museum, a court in France has heard.

Vjeran Tomic, 49, is accused of taking paintings worth more than €100 million (£86m) from the Musée d’Art Moderne.

But it is alleged he needed none of his climbing skills — and pulled off the heist with “disconcerting ease”.

Tomic is alleged to have taken artworks by Matisse, Picasso and Modigliani after breaking a single pane of glass and cutting a padlock.

Two accomplices are accused of handling the paintings.

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Evidence about the theft, which occurred in 2010 and is considered one of the largest in recent memory, is being heard in a special Paris court for serious financial crimes.

Presiding judge Peimane Ghalez-Marzban said a thief evaded “defective” security to steal the “priceless” masterpieces whose worth “far surpasses their market value”.

The court heard how an overly sensitive alarm system had been turned off two month’s prior to the theft.

Mr Tomic told police he had initially broken into the museum only to steal a Fernand Léger work but once inside was “surprised” when the burglary alarm failed to sound.

Tomic, who has 14 previous convictions and described himself as a “veritable art lover,” told police he wandered around for an hour.

The stolen works are Picasso’s Dove with Green Peas (painted in 1911), Pastoral by Henri Matisse (1905), Olive Tree near l’Estaque by Georges Braque (1906) and Woman with Fan by Amedeo Modigliani (1919).

Tomic, a rock climbing enthusiast, was arrested in May 2011 after an anonymous tip to the police.

Police said he confessed to the theft but refused to give the name of the person who ordered it.

Jean-Michel Corvez, an antiques dealer, is accused of ordering at least one of the works.

A third defendant, Yonathan Birn, a rare watch dealer and repairer, is accused of hiding the five works.

During questioning Mr Birn broke down in tears, claiming he had thrown the lot in the bin out of panic.

“I’m crying because it’s monstrous what I’ve done, he told the investigating judge according to the indictment.

“I was overcome with panic. I lost all reason and decided to take the paintings out of my workplace and from a safe,” he told the judge.

However, investigators believe that the works have been sold.

The trial continues.