Possible armed robbery at European art fair in Netherlands - police

Four men are suspected of attempting a "possible armed robbery" at The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in the southern Dutch city of Maastricht, police said in a statement on Tuesday.

Police in the province of Limburg said multiple police units were searching for the suspects.

TEFAF is an art, antiques and design fair held annually in Maastricht, showcasing classic and contemporary art, and jewellery. More than 200 dealers exhibit works there each year and the fair draws around 75,000 visitors.

In an emailed statement, the fair confirmed attendees had been evacuated on Tuesday morning due to an "incident" and no one was harmed.

Videos purporting to show the incident circulating on social media showed four smartly dressed men, one with a sledgehammer, smashing their way into jewellery cases. One brandished what appeared to be a pistol at a person who attempted to intervene. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the footage.