Thieves who first made their way into an art gallery in the Belgian town of Knokke then escaped the police with an artwork worth 2.2 million euro ($2.67 million) on a high-speed chase.
The perpetrators broke through 5-centimeter (2-inch) thick reinforced glass to lay their hands on the item made from 45 kilograms (99 pounds) of 18 karat gold.
The heist took only four minutes to complete.
A witness, who lives next to the gallery, captured the end of the robbery on camera after being woken up by the alarm.
Arne Quinze, who created the "Golden Natural Chaos," said he was devastated by the news, adding that it was impossible to make the piece again.
The thieves reportedly fled at 220 kilometers per hour (134 miles per hour) down the wrong side of a highway.
Police are working to locate the expensive artwork.
