When half a billion dollars' worth of art vanished

It was the "heist of the century": A two-man team of thieves stole several classic pieces of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Manet. More than 25 years later, no arrests have been made and none of the art has been recovered. Erin Moriarty of "48 Hours" tells the tale.

[@jbvap]

Museum full of priceless paintings? Hire a 23 yr old "musician" as the security guard. Good idea!

[@digitaljetset]

It sounds like a good idea for a comedy movie in the 90's starring Pauly Shore.

[@JimmyCee123]

Gabriel Rivas take the Rembrandts buhdee!

[@kelleymariejones6388]

jbvap it never ceases to amaze me, that most of the so called intellects have the common sense of a box of rocks!

[@pbhello]

you get what you paid for

[@maxrent7]

Bassist or guitarist ?

[@freeqwerqwer]

They were "unsophisticated art thieves" ? I would say that the museum had "unsophisticated security system."

[@whosyourdaddy4579]

The curator is living in a dream world and should have quit immediately after the heist. And she thinks those paintings may be returned out of the goodness of someone's heart. Let's just hope that whoever has possession them for now, knows how to care for them so they don't deteriorate any farther after being hacked from their centuries old frames. Good gawd!

[@brianchristopher3816]

They knew enough. They were not that unsophisticated. Just because some of the stolen items were inexplicably included in the theft doesn't mean unsophisticated.

[@Erin-Thor]

Who's Your Daddy? - Hindsight will always be 20/20

[@nunyabiznez6381]

They had a standard security system for the time period. This happened almost 30 years ago before they had every work of art alarmed individually. No museum did that in those days. You can't judge someone in the past based on modern standards.

[@helensilver1381]

@@nunyabiznez6381 Yes, that was then and this is now. However, no one in their right mind would have hired people so totally unaware. By the by, the "guards" we said to be taking drugs.

[@KerterBerger]

museum full of rembrandts and they have a hippie gaurding them.. smh. damn 90s

[@erxfav3197]

right?

[@nonebusiness4488]

not a hippie, a low life criminal. the guard was the guy on the inside who let the burglers in on purpose

[@NessieTheCatt]

no joke i think i found one of the paintings who would i contact

[@zhalmos]

Contact this guy: Kevin Mills Anthony Amore Director of Security 617 278 5114 [e-mail]

[@miguelzavaleta1911]

That totally sounds like something Hank would say.

[@ericx4124]

The real crime is that the guard still has the same hair style.

[@saveriosalemme5366]

Eric x That was worth the price of a Rembrandt 😆😆😆

[@michaelrolph1907]

Hahahaha good one

[@ColinBunston]

Never trust Weird Al security

[@hunkbo]

The real crime is the FBI can't find the loot.

[@duantorruellas716]

Hahahahaha

[@Stolzing82]

LOL! The FBI agent at 3:45: "They didn't know what they were doing." I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. They stole half a billion dollars worth of artwork in 1990 and vanished without a trace. After almost three decades, no arrests have been made, none of the stolen works have been recovered, and we're honestly supposed to believe something akin to, "The punks got lucky"?! I'd say the thieves knew EXACTLY what they were doing!

[@harrypottermovie2390]

Stolzing82 If they were not intelligent enough to research how to remove a painting, and not just a painting- a Rembrandt, then I think most of this was pure dumb luck

[@edwardb7811]

@@harrypottermovie2390 The thieves didn't know how to remove the paintings withought damaging them.They left behind many other valuable paintings. The paintings haven't be sold or used as bargaining chips or ransom.

[@lynnloww5916]

lol quit clowing.

[@kimkearney5419]

@@harrypottermovie2390 This is how the mafia ALWAYS steals art. Just look at the recovered art stolen from France that was eventually found in a Sicilian mobsters home. Cut out the same way, with boxcutters. Also look up the stolen Church painting, ripped out the same way. To make matters worse, they tore a piece of the canvas off and sent it proving they had it. These crooks have all this stolen art. We will never see it again in our lifetimes. They have no preservation in mind, and most are probably so decrepit now that extensive restoration would never bring them back to their former glory.

[@amandaskywalker7331]

This is what happened to the priceless violin stolen that went missing for 50 years.... a guy just saw his chance and took it. He wanted it for himself and played it for years but nobody knew it was a Stradivarius. He confessed on his death bed. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2rEh36Gac96bpI

[@howardw0072]

So the custodians of these priceless works of art had a security system that basically allowed 2 guys dressed as police to walk right in, tie up an incompetent night watchman, take their time and later walk out with irreplaceable works by Rembrandt and Vermeer? I think the Starbucks down the street has a better security system.

[@meynardrocas3574]

This was 20 yrs ago where security is still different than right now.

[@lekkki1]

@@meynardrocas3574 True, Mr. Rocas. Not only that, but Abbott was involved. No security system in the world can undo the "inside man". This art theft has the feel of an orchestrated hit; some private collectors wanted this art and ordered this hit. Big money (private collectors) have no ethics whatsoever. While the thieves were getting the punch-list pieces, they picked up multiple other pieces, thus the mistakes they made in selections.

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

@@lekkki1 I think you are right, this was planned and the art sits now in the personal galleries of the collectors who paid to have them stolen. It could have involved 1 or 10 collectors, but they will never give them up. The world will see them again when they either die, lose their fortunes, or in a war being un-covered by the victor

[@orionstar6268]

@@meynardrocas3574 yes, but still...you should know that you are guarding a priceless collection and that you should check before you let strangers in.... I mean there must be an emergency "procedure" right?

[@orionstar6268]

@@lekkki1 I agree.... they could also do that purposely... a red herring sort of speak.

[@mrshhh7841]

The theft itself was art .Abstract and full of flaws yet pulled off and left with aesthetically alarming blanks on the museum walls..

[@dianapasley2182]

I was living in Boston at the time. My boyfriend and I frequented a popular restaurant and bar and came to know a guy for conversation who was an International type. He talked of his frequent trips to Switzerland. After the heist we never saw him again and I believe it could have been that guy. His name was Michael.

[@StrawberryLegacy]

You should tell the FBI that, who knows, at this point they're probably really desperate for tips

[@samanthab1923]

It's weird to realize you probably met a real criminal.

[@Sixfeetund3r]

Or maybe he went back to Switzerland again lmfao 😂

[@Teeveepicksures]

Except in boston i knew a son of the shah, kids of diplomats, wealthy financeers, and old money jet setters and im just a nobody. It's like seeing an actor in Los Angeles. My guess is the Rosetti gang were involved.

[@hoo76maga79]

Probably closer than the FBI got.

[@tinalouiseking]

Mr. Burns has the painting The Simpsons have been right about everything else

[@okiewoman7950]

Yes sounds like inside job alright. But not from the security guard. These are priceless paintings and they let one , only one security guard handle it. That is like a 2 year old child guarding Queen Elizabeth. Just stupid

[@erxfav3197]

yeah somehow someone had inside knowledge of the security at night and in the museum it seems. It seems pretty clear..

[@raymondfrye5017]

@@erxfav3197 Maybe they should have hired Security guard Ben Stiller for that Night at the Museum. Ha!

[@st0n3p0ny]

I think you might be surprised how little security there is around certain extremely valuable objects that aren't typically stolen because it just never occurs to thieves to steal these things. In the Pacific Northwest we had a child on a long crime spree stealing boats and airplanes, because they're not protected. There are million dollars boats just parked, ready to steal, they don't get stolen because thieves don't think to steal them.

[@duantorruellas716]

Hahahahaha

[@evanpearce1015]

@@st0n3p0ny barefoot bandit just served his 7 years

[@brucew.5292]

How can you say no one profited off the crime? You have no idea, absolutely not a clue.

[@riggs20]

Seriously!! Does he think that the collectors who bought the paintings from the thieves would have sent him a receipt or something?

[@nunyabiznez6381]

Because it is unlikely that they could have been sold. If I wanted a priceless work of art in my collection and it was not for sale and I was inclined towards illegally acquiring it I would make sure the thieves knew enough to take the piece intact and not cut it out of the frame which destroys much of the value both monetarily and esthetically. It is like stealing a valuable collectible Star Wars action figure by ripping open the package and leaving it behind. Anyone who knows anything about art knows not to do that. They had 81 minutes. A good thief would have taken down ALL the paintings in that time and left them in the frames. They would have had a large van to put them in. Then they would have delivered them to the collector who hired them. They would have been paid their one or two million dollars. But these were not good thieves. They were bungling idiots. They left behind most of the value of work in that museum. They were there far too long and they irreparably damaged every work they stole. You can't fence famous works of art. You can fence things that are rare but not unique but you can never fence something unique because eventually word would get out. A local pawn shop, even a dishonest one won't touch something like that. They can't display it for sale. If you stole some unique work made of solid gold you can't sell it as is you'd have to melt it down and sell the scrap gold getting maybe 1% of the intrinsic value. No these pieces are lost forever because the thieves didn't know they could not be fenced so they disposed of the evidence and have kept themselves in hiding all this time. I do not believe the theory that they moved to Connecticut then New York. They ceased to exist within weeks of the day they were stolen. At best they are in a landfill somewhere having long since rotted away.

[@nunyabiznez6381]

For one thing, no such thing as a good thief. For another, in those days they did not alarm paintings or their frames. They had alarms in the rooms. It simply did not occur to most museums to do so and for another alarms were far too big and cumbersome to do so without ruining the esthetic which after all is what museums are about. I know because I have worked in major art museums and spent a number of years as a picture framer. Even a stupid rich collector would have known not to cut the pictures out of the frames. In fact a collector would have instructed the thieves not to do so. I collect. not on that scale but I collect and condition is everything. I would NEVER pay someone to obtain something in such a crude manner destroying part of what makes the art special. I don't think you know anything about art or you would understand this very important fact. Collectors are fanatical about preserving condition. When I worked in an art gallery a gentleman came in with a Dali limited edition signed print that was probably worth around $2500 at the time. It had been damaged. He wanted to find someone to restore it. We facilitated an arrangement with an expert in art restoration. The bill came to $36,000. Our gallery got 15%. So our cut was more than double what the print would have been worth in mint condition but that is how art collectors think. They don't care about price, they want it perfect. If these art thieves were working for a collector, I guarantee the collector told them to F**k off for ruining the pieces. Personally I would prefer a mint condition Maxfield Parish than shredded Renoir.

[@pandybear24]

Gonzalo Saldana they were not insured..

[@TJ-iq5re]

@Juan Perez no one laughed Juan

[@jbvap]

I love how the FBI is downplaying the level of sophistication in this crime. "ohh theyre just a couple idiots that got lucky" "theyve never got a dime from these pieces" yada yaa

[@christophernixonart]

If they were that sophisticated, they would’ve known that there was glass in front of the painting and wouldn’t have had to cut the paintings out of the frame. The paintings could’ve been slashed when the glass broke.

[@AlexS-oj8qf]

Basically how our law upholders are.

[@bngr_bngr]

jbvap we are never giving the paintings back. We must free the art from all museums.

[@dodgedabullet670]

Why would the ever say, "they never got a dime"? Really, I'd assume they got much much more than a "dime"!

[@bngr_bngr]

Dodged a Bullet the FBI loves to use reverse psychology to trigger suspects.

[@pansveltoskinorvaglaagenos3462]

Rembrandt on the sea of gallalea was my favorite piece stolen

[@elderlypoodle9181]

Pansvelţoşkinßorvå Glaageņoso'obï YES!!!!!!! I’m heartbroken that piece was taken. My most favorite

[@jenniferknott8328]

Ok, so WHY was a guard of the age of 23 hired to guard this collection? Why??

[@erxfav3197]

exactly

[@raymondfrye5017]

Because quite possibly, he was planted there as the "useful idiot".

[@EGarrett01]

Because nothing ever happens the overwhelming majority of the time. Think about how boring your actual life is 99% of the time. There are a thousand 23-year-old goofballs guarding priceless stuff all over the world right now, and none of it will make a difference because no robber will show up.

[@edruaneinkerry]

Museum was too cheap to hire professional security staff.

[@jayrussell1825]

@@raymondfrye5017 Hmmmmmmm. Maybe you got something there.

[@mitchlu]

I remember this being all over the news when I was...ahem...younger. I am saddened to be reminded about this today and hope one day this mystery will be solved...

[@MrRobot01010]

"ahem"?

[@hellohello2711]

GOT THE SUSPECT RIGHT HERE EVERYBODY!!!!

[@margaretkearsey734]

I visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and saw these priceless paintings three weeks before they were stolen. FYI anyone with the name Isabella can have free admission for the duration of her life.

[@georgiesimmons5924]

Oh i didn't know that thanks for sharing

[@KeeperOfProphecies]

The profession of dealing with stolen/counterfeit art is highly interesting.

[@erxfav3197]

highly interesting? that sounds like a comment devoid of ethics and morals.. quite disgusting sadly

[@Itsjustme222]

Yes it is

[@MrRobot01010]

@Will Roberts wtf, how does it suck

[@opmike343]

@@erxfav3197 You can be interested in crime without being a criminal. What are you, like 5 years old?

[@nunyabiznez6381]

Yes both are interesting topics. I collect on a lower level pieces unlikely to be counterfeited. But even I as a non expert could determine if something is counterfeit or not. In virtually every case you can look up the artist and learn what makes a piece authentic and what makes it a fake. If I was a billionaire and wanted to spend $100 million on a piece you can be sure I will make myself an expert before I spend that kind of money on a painted doodle to hang on my wall. Theft is another matter altogether. You can't fence anything famous but bungling idiots often do not know this. You can't take a Rembrandt to your local pawn shop. First thing they will think it's a fake. If they are smart enough to investigate further they will bring in an expert like you see on TV and that expert will tell them it's been stolen. It's not like Rembrandt mass produced his works. Some artists have. Signed limited editions are more easily sold but are not worth nearly as much. I have a 16th century woodcut print made by an extremely famous artist. But my print, made from his wood cut plate is a later print and therefore not terribly valuable, I paid $500 for it which is about what it is worth. But an early impression would be worth more than ten times that much mostly due to superior quality of the print. The more you use a wood block printing plate the more you wear down on it so the less valuable each successive print is. To counterfeit an early one is possible but incredibly difficult. So what an art expert would do is simply visit a museum where such a print exists and look for little tells that indicate authenticity and compare the museum piece with the one you are looking to buy. A seller should be willing to do this. Beware of any seller that does not want you to check out authenticity this way. Most counterfeiters go on line and look for the image and then use a high resolution printer to print it out on heavy stock paper that looks old or that they try to make look old. Then they represent it as authentic to some poor sap who has a little art knowledge but not enough to realize how to tell a fake from a real piece of art. Higher level counterfeiters are artists who are good enough to copy an artist's style to a degree that would fool 99% of the public and 1% of auction houses and art gallery owners. Part of what sells a counterfeit piece is sales technique and part is the buyer's hunger to own a famous work of art. If you stick to lower level works of art you are virtually immune from such victimhood due to the fact that it would cost more to counterfeit such art than to simply buy an authentic piece and then resell it. This is why it is rare to find counterfeit one dollar bills. Recently one came into the business where I am a manager and everyone thought it was fake but it merely was damaged. I looked at it under magnification and it is indeed real as I thought it would be. But some rare thoughtful people have actually counterfeited ones. A successful counterfeiting of a twenty usually starts by chemically removing the ink from an authentic one dollar bill. Also learn about an artist and their work before buying a piece of theirs. Some artists who produced limited edition signed prints often just simply signed thousands of blank paper sheets and had their workers then print on them cheap versions of the original. Got to know what you are dealing with.

[@omfug7148]

Oh that Vermeer...sigh

[@Research0digo]

I KNOW! !_!

[@sedsworld1672]

omfug My absolutely favorite Master!!!! I remember when I first heard of this, and presumed it would be recovered soon enough. It is now 2019, and I fear I will not live long enough for it’s return and for me to be able to see it in person.

[@amanyaleil]

As an artist, I've copied few old master's paintings, now that I've learned about Vermeer's painting, I'm thinking of painting a copy of it.

[@hellohello2711]

SOLVED!!! Plot twist. Red dress museum lady set the whole thing up and framed the security guard. She has the paintings at home where she can see them whenever she wants because she loved them too damn much. She was "cop with mustache" in the sketch

I didn't know Laura Bush worked at that museum...lol!!

[@hellohello2711]

It wasn't Laura Bush. She clearly said her name in the beginning

[@joannedavis1991]

Je s I’ve got some swamp land to sell you in Florida!

[@nancyjanepaige200]

Seth Clements 🤣

[@RoseSharon7777]

The crime was your security system. Smh!

[@craigathonian5755]

Sad but true, this is standard set up for most museums. After working in art galleries i went to work for a major art museum and had the shock of a life time ! They had state of the art technology, but hired bottom of the barrel thugs for security. If anyone remembers "The Keystone Cops", that's what went through my mind every day passing their so called "security office"... i'm really surprised that this doesn't happen more often. These institutions get hundreds of thousands of dollars with tax breaks, but it all goes to the top with very little left for the "smaller", "unimportant" departments like security. Very sad !

[@RedBardIsCool]

Breaks my heart every time I go to the Gardner and get reminded that there's a chance I'll never be able to see these masterpieces :< Lovely segment on it tho.

[@MarcusAurelius7777]

Reminder that Boston is dumb.

[@samanthab1923]

I worry they may have been misplaced or damaged some how.

[@ThePeterDislikeShow]

@@samanthab1923 Guaranteed. With a $5 million reward you'd think they find someone to sacrifice themselves to claim it.

[@kevinhealey6540]

Up to now the paintings have never been recovered. Surprising that there guarding system was virtually nothing for millions of dollars of art.

[@karenwentz4508]

This should be watched by all of the "Storage Wars" fans.

[@denang501]

Greatest heist in history. Everyone involved kept their mouth shut, didn’t sell to anyone who would talk. Genius.

[@erxfav3197]

genius?? disgusting comment, not to mention assumptive

[@opmike343]

@@erxfav3197 It was the perfect crime. No one has been identified, let alone arrested. It's a nearly 30 year old cold case.

[@ronshook5194]

IM NOW 71, I WOULD GO THERE, MANY TIMES, AND JUST STARE.... at the paintings..... I REMEMBER, HOW RELAXED IT WAS THERE, ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE.... TO BE SURROUNDED BY SUCH ART......IN SUCH An INFORMAL SETTING..... HOW SAD..... FOR ALL OF HUMANITY.....PRAY THESE PIECES, CAN SOMEDAY BE RETURNED....... I WAS in my early 20s......40 plus YRS AGO, when I saw these ART works.....in person........ A SHAME, REALLY. The seascape was always MY FAVORITE......

[@ej2333]

"these guys are burglars."...What a detective! No wonder he couldn't solve the case.

[@barbadosart7059]

I am an artist. I worked over one single artwork for 2 years and put so much in it - dedication, complete determination, 16 hours of hard work every day... And than a young galleryist from Italy stole my artwork. The feeling is totally devastating!

[@barbadosart7059]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/roalkouPa9xjaKM

[@jayrussell1825]

Bummer! My Dad & Grandma were artists, hate to see any of their work disappear.

[@da96103]

This looks like Bosch.

[@grimtt]

Probably only an artist can appreciate that feeling, as you say. Sorry that happened to you!

[@pnoyd3132]

Lol

[@lilyroxmysox]

love longer segments like this on the show! please do more!!

[@dloveartsdotcom]

There's nothing more romantic and exiting, in my opnion, than an art heist.

[@HarryElmore-jl2pj]

the woman makes a good "Stolen Museum" host - very good, nice job folks that art is either in Israel , Saudi Arabia or Russia now

[@elizdonovan5650]

They didn’t know what they were doing, who are you kidding? They knew enough to target the paintings they took. Sad. 🌲🌝☘️

[@OhMyPets]

Is it just me, but the narration makes me sleepy 😴😴😴 it's like hypnotizing me 😆

[@LiLBulqer]

All that money’s worth in there and such a crappy security system

[@Herman47]

The Rembrandt seascape is more impressive than the Vermeer, in my opinion.

[@AlexS-oj8qf]

Vermeer's older and rarer.

[@elderlypoodle9181]

Herman47 It’s so beautiful!

[@heartofroxas877]

Vermeer and Rembrandt were living in the same time. Vermeer is higher usually in pricing at the market, but this picture of Rembrandt is one of his best works!

[@sedsworld1672]

Herman47 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱 There are no other works of art as impressive as a Vermeer!

[@nunyabiznez6381]

I can 't say it's more impressive as I have not seen either up close which I would have to in order to render a valid opinion but I certainly like the image of it more. But then I have a general preference for good seascapes. They are both profoundly beautiful paintings either way.

[@MrKajithecat]

The heist is a work of art in itself. They weren't looking for super valuable pieces, just pieces that they could peddle to dark buyers easily and get a discounted price. Selling stolen art is very hard and its all about patience.

[@erxfav3197]

thats disgusting to say.. criminal and twisted

[@petalchild]

The Vermeer is the most valuable piece of lost art in the world. You don't know what you're talking about.

[@waltevans4490]

A tragedy for art lovers, love the Vermeer and Rembrandt really upset me, they never can be replaced. They definitely weren't art connoisseurs, more like Fred Flintstone gang. Steals the Hope Diamond gang. And gets away with it. Somehow I don't think they're ever going to show up,

[@sedsworld1672]

YES! The Vermeer 😰😰😰

[@herrdrumpf3261]

The boat painting is beautiful.

[@joannrust9767]

This still makes me cry.

[@sedsworld1672]

Jo Ann Rust The Vermeer 😱😰😰😰

[@MrChess187]

garage sell finds in another 20 years. person will die off with it rolled up in the attic. kids will have no clue. Im from the future....

[@leosrule5691]

Lol, good one.!!

[@christinegreenwood4093]

Not rolled up. They just said it can’t be rolled up.

[@grimtt]

Haha, funny you mention it because practically that very thing happened in New Mexico where a stolen de Koonig was recovered within the last year or so. There’s a doc on youtube about it but I forget the title. Something CBS

[@wendellbeverly6060]

Garage "sell"? F*cking idiot. I see the education system in the future still sucks.

[@oscarrodriguez2202]

Wendell Beverly 💀

[@inigojuancarlos]

Remember this devastating news back in the day. That Vermeer and Rembrandt should be return!

[@lilMissF0F0]

Unless the thieves or their relatives decide to return them back they wont show up again. Its exactly the same story happened about Marie Antoinette’s watch made by her watchmaker that took him perhaps a decade to create it (a smart watch that was sadly finished when the Queen died and never got the chance to see it). It was stolen and when the thieve died his wife returned it back. And they display a replica of that watch in the museum to avoid a robbery of such a very valuable piece

[@RobertBrennan159]

I saw all of that art as a grade school student - the Gardner Museum was an annual field trip for my school outside Boston. I remember the Rembrandt seascape very well because family friends had a small boat that I had had a scary ride in when some rough weather hit. It reminded me of hugging the bottom of the boat in my life vest. I really hope they find these guys, and this art. Seems like they have some pretty strong ideas...

[@sedsworld1672]

BorBorReborn ♥️

[@marknewman636]

Lady it's not like loosing a member of your family no painting is worth a human life

[@petalchild]

If you don't get it, you don't get it.

[@LJTHEGEEK]

All this art was sold to very rich people and it is out there so for him to think no one got money out of them is so wrong, this art was also most likely sold to some rich overseas buyers and is in a secret room where only they can sit n and enjoy it

[@iwonak2451]

This place is amazing!

[@FluxyMiniscus]

I was an art student across the street from the Gardener museum from ‘85-89. A number of my friends ( then in our early 20’s and all very serious about their love of art) worked part time for the museum while they were studying art at the prestigious school a block away. They were completely shook by the robbery...and ended up having to go through very intense scrutiny and interviews with the FBI and police for months (years) after the heist. It certainly exposed the massive weaknesses in the museum’s hiring training and staffing practices... I know they (along with many others)will be overjoyed when the paintings are finally found - finally having a conclusion to this decades old mystery The idea that these paintings might possibly be damaged (not the VERMEER!!!)would break my heart

[@sedsworld1672]

Maureen BZap NO NOT THE VERMEER!!! 😰

[@DaveBraga]

Art students....that's the level of security staff protecting a $ billion in priceless art....

[@grimtt]

WHERE’S JOHNNY DOLLAR WHEN YOU NEED HIM??! 😂😂😂

[@artistkennethjlewissr9608]

It's amazing that stolen western art is ashame and disrespect to humanity...Yet the stolen art and artifacts from the tombs (graves) of ancient Africans / Egyptians that fill museums around the world no problem.

[@RareCandeh]

Kenneth Lewis Sr Ooo that’s tea that too hot to be sipped

[@peepindis]

You raise a great point.

[@erxfav3197]

@@peepindis no he does not

[@erxfav3197]

the varying artifacts from tombs or pyramids are not "stolen"... their creators are long gone and they are instead being curated by professional establishments who are responsible in and for preserving them for the general public. They are visible to practically anyone during regular business or visiting hours from what I know. Stolen is what happened to these paintings And having an unrelated grudge seems to be what you have

[@wolfgangsimonsiv9444]

Hold up. Arabs ruled Egypt not africans. DONT GO WE WUZ KANGS ON ME SIR! U AINT "WOKE"

[@mollyhall2954]

When I was young, in the 1970s in Boston, I woud go there on my lunch break to see the Rembrandt, if I was working in the area, mainly because the Gardner museum was different from any other. I could walk up so close to my favorite painting and see the colors in the white of that ruff, the colors in the black and enjoy a work of art in a way I never had. I assumed at the time that there was hidden security that I couldn't see and didn't know about! The entire building was wonderful, but if I only had a short time to spend there, I just went to see my favorite painting. Many years later, 1500 miles away, I heard about the theft and could hardly believe my favorite was one of the paintings stolen, and can hardly believe that decades later they still haven't found the art or the thieves. Being so close to the art, the set up while we looked at it, wasn't the part that put the art in jeopardy, so I wish there were more museums like the Gardner, but with much better overall security!

[@suziperret468]

Give the priceless paintings back! You know what to do!

[@bradleyelkins4535]

Just bring it back. Do it in public so no one can do anything to you. You can not be charged.

[@georgeanthony7282]

What I don't understand is... how can there be a statute of limitations on these types of thefts? I also feel the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum people didn't do their homework when it came to hiring security personnel. Good luck with recovering these precious masterpieces! :(

[@nybiggs]

Guard tripped and accidentally popped a hole in the Monet. Called his buddies and stole 500 million to cover it up.

[@leosrule5691]

Omg, good one.!!

[@da96103]

The Chez Tortoni is by Edouard MANET not Claude MONET.

[@grimtt]

@da96106. Right. Monet was into art bigly.

[@MissMolly3377]

😆

[@dragonlaughing]

Forty years ago I was told that one could order the theft of paintings and other objects from museums. Stolen properties were sold in nations where the laws did not protect the property rights of the lawful owner. Some countries would legitimize ownership after three years possession. The problem is that there is often a ready market for stolen artwork. Some personality types are commoner among millionaires and billionaires than in the rest of society. These people tend to believe that they are above the law. They also believe that they are connoisseurs.

[@la-zh4231]

I would say they were pretty sophisticated, they walked into a museum and stole a half a billion dollars worth of art and never got caught.

[@doofusrick8045]

This heist was an work of art

[@music_by_carlos]

lmao

[@Marcel-Marcel]

and so are your spelling skills

[@opus4729]

@@Marcel-Marcel Technically his spelling was all correct, his grammar was not.

[@erxfav3197]

no it was not. It was a crime against humanity and a museum, and despicable. Just as your comment sadly.

[@nonebusiness4488]

it wasn't it it was the work of slimy , greedy criminals. what is artistic about slimy criminal oozing with filthy greed gobbling up beauty because they are filthy greedy criminals. you dingbat

[@newyardleysinclair9960]

No a perfect crime does not mean you have to profit from it. They committed a crime and got away. The agent just doesn't want to admit he cant catch a criminal. They got away w it

[@clarindaoleary6365]

Maybe it's possibly under someone's nose!

[@tracygraham8052]

I recently saw a special on this and I am convinced that the last person interviewed was in fact the thief. Of course it’s not like any of the works can fenced. They are now likely in a private collection in the Middle East where collecting art is a huge deal.

[@MustangMike012]

It goes to show how anything is possible if you have the balls to try it.

[@andybaldman]

*Why is this coming up in recommendations now, in Sept 2019? Did something happen with this case?*

[@kierbaudy]

For multiple reasons, I’m really disappointed in the FBI’s ability to discover the truth.

[@sammas8103]

I own a gallery somewhere in the US, many years ago I bought and added a framing business to my gallery. A few months later while in the city I visited another gallery that I saw by chance, there I talked to the owner of that gallery and he asked if I could frame some canvases for him, I gave him my card and left thinking it may turn out into a long relationship and some level of repeat business. Boy was I wrong! Less then two weeks a detective with the local PD's art crime division was at my place of business. Long story short there was a heist not valuable at all but the owner was attempting to collect insurance money, this I found when I told that cop that non of that gallery's art appeared valuable and may be he should check local swap meets or look up garage sales. The detective did not appreciate my honesty/ sense of humor. Quite frankly the art that I saw appeared very cartoonish.

[@dandrechesterfield5411]

The real crime is that these paintings are worth so much. I kinda like that these guys treated them like a tv or some other practically worthless item

[@HieronymousLex]

Cringe edgelord take. I agree they’re overvalued and I hate modern art but those Rembrandt’s are actual European culture

[@pault5557]

Crazy story, you could NEVER legitimately sell those paintings, so MUST be in someone’s private collection! Mr Burns story is real! 😱

[@johnnn5592]

Yeah man I'm struggling to figure out how the thieves could make money. Only legit collectors have the big bucks and no legit collector would want stolen art that can land them in jail so...

[@andyandy2756]

@@johnnn5592 they’re in a Audi Arabian princes basement

[@IraTopp]

I'm really not seeing how a painting can be valued at 38.5 million bucks. 🤔

[@pjangels609]

It's all "made up" by useless, stuck up elites. They're the same ones that would profess the "sophistication" of a piece that was splattered by a three year old.

[@hothmobile100]

Can you paint like Vermeer?

[@IraTopp]

Give me $38,000,000, and I'll figure out how.

[@sedsworld1672]

Richard Powell EXACTLY!!!!!

[@mikeyoung9810]

I'm guessing they did it on a whim based on knowledge of security at that museum and grabbed paintings (damaging them in the process) and then eventually destroyed them to hide what they had done.

[@lususlove]

They were hired thieves. Some wealthy art collector hired them to steal those paintings for his own private collection. They aren’t in a basement, they’re hanging in a mansion somewhere out in the world.

[@snartled2247]

bet you these are at the free port in Geneva by now...

[@StrawberryFeildsforNever]

12:39 off topic, but his eyes are so beautiful

[@laurieeno2118]

I thought the same thing.

[@paulbrown1585]

One day a couple of average burglars saw the"security" guard and realized they could easily jack some priceless art. The museum shoulders MUCH blame and negligence for this.

[@M.fjones]

The only concrete information the FBI has for almost half century of their highest degree of investigations about this heist is that these artworks are "indeed missing"

[@laurawesoff5732]

Assuming the thieves were able to fence the artwork...Some old guy in a mansion has the paintings in a locked room that only he can enjoy? Pretty lonely existence. It's either that or the thieves threw the artwork away. In either case, very sad.

[@charlesleseau]

You may be right, but the current possessors might just as well be surrounded by others who are just as crooked, who view and admire the theft as prestigious, and who are so rich that the $5 million reward is a joke to them (in addition to the potential dangers of snitching). Considering the loss of key evidence by the FBI after the theft, it would surprise me very little if I were to learn that the thieves are connected deeply inside the US justice system, that they are among the very same ultra rich people who already completely own the US and its government, and that there are multiple 'owners' now of this stuff.

[@erxfav3197]

@@charlesleseau thats JUST a little conspiracy theorist dont you think? If you keep assuming things and basing other assumptions over assumptions you will find yourself in a mess of a web with no end in sight

[@nonebusiness4488]

know the low life criminals still have the art and its too hot to move.

[@jayrussell1825]

And all you people better STAY AWAY from my mansion!

[@grimtt]

According to some the pieces are buried under oodles of concrete in FL.

[@richardhutchison3123]

My heart breaks to hear Ann Holly describe the loss as like a death in the family. Only one who appreciates the uniqueness and rarity of art would feel such a loss. The 13 pieces have never been recovered and no one has been charged with the crime. What a loss for the art world! You would just have to wonder at the timing of the heist and the brazenness to spend 81 minutes in that building without fear that one of the tied up people would break free and call the police. She's right that no one would buy them for even one tenth of their value because they are so well known. Someone probably has them hanging in their apartment or trailer laughing every day at how poor...yet how rich they are. This reminds me of Rose from Titanic stating how hard it was knowing that she owned such a priceless diamond but had to go forward as an everyday person.

[@erxfav3197]

I dont think they are hanging on anyones wall.. I doubt it incredibly much.. they are likely in some storage or attic somewhere as the police said or at a large stretch some corrupt millionaire/billionaires possession elsewhere in the world. My question is how do they know the original theives are dead? And wasnt there only one guard tied up? Also was that a true story about Rose from the Titanic having a priceless ring?

[@Bursadesain]

nice contents, thank you

[@edwardb7811]

Let's say you have a multi-billion dollar collection. Would you hire a hippy to guard it?

[@jamesanonymous2343]

they're probably on the walls of the Ravenite Social Club on Mulberry St. N.Y.C.

[@diveinstructordaniel1095]

James anonymous Great hint

[@karowalker5254]

Here from Buzzfeed Unsolved :)

[@raphythemighty2613]

Lol the thieves knew exactly what they were doing. I guarantee they already had a buyer interested in the paintings before the heist was even performed. They didnt just steal random paintings, they were carefully selected because those were the pieces the buyer had an interest in having. If you are gonna have paintings that only you are going to see, you are going to want to have the ones you like the most, the ones that make you feel something and can relate to. Value plays little to no role in the selection process seeing as all the paintings in the museum are worth millions anyways. There is no such a thing as the perfect crime, except in this case.

[@carolecobb257]

This is crazy, hope they don't destroy them!

[@OKTHUNDERROCK]

Here's some insight on a new twist to art smuggling, law enforcement misusing civil forfiture laws to obtain valuables and selling them abroad even after all criminal charges dropped, equitals and wrongful arrests. Look and you shall find a very widespread problem . As far as that heist were they insured? And who would've benefited from any theft of them. Just a thought.

[@dhoward5757]

Amateurs given a wish list, Rembrandt, Vermeer. Been hanging in a billionaires closet for almost 30 years now. So Sad.

[@vespermartini2556]

But probably left the country a short time thereafter, in those days, security in airports was, well, there was no security.

[@grimtt]

Hmmm, yah. At a museum exhibition of Rembrandts the guide said that he was the most faked artist of the lot. That is, art forgers copy him more than any other artist.

[@believeinyourself7511]

I think it was an inside job. So sad that this beautiful historical artwork is gone. Has anyone searched the home of the guard recently?

[@kelgreen99]

Now I have to go back to Boston to go to this museum.

[@TyB211]

Those paintings definitely aren't in the US. They were probably sold off to some Arabian prince or a Russian billionaire...

[@NewEnglandViews]

It’s time for that art to come home ❤️

[@daffyduck4195]

In 1994 I went to the main museum of Greek antiquities in Athens, Greece and was so alarmed by the lack of security. Their art building looked like a plain warehouse more fit for storage than fancy presentation. I stood looking at the statue of Hercules that had been so popularized in art books and was so sure that breaking the glass encasement and scampering down to a waiting car would assure me $100 million dollars in ransom return.

[@sierravista9013]

I love that place.

[@emfisher8168]

The REAL crime was , they had a 23 year old inexperienced hippie guarding extremely valuable art museum during the most vulnerable time, guarding irreplaceable, some of the most important beautiful paintings??!!??!!?! You need to look into who ever hired the security guard !!! Paintings that valuable, you'd think they'd had multiple experienced security guards and security measures in place!!

[@evanpearce1015]

insurance fraud 101, I bet the fence sent them to china, hence the random item other than the paintings haha

[@floraguirre3065]

love this museum

[@beckyjacobsen5867]

Nice to see Charles Osgood. Miss him

[@Happy_HIbiscus]

dude, this is sad

[@rysmith9433]

Very Sad

[@TaylorMade511]

Should have hired more than one guard.

[@lia1063]

+Taylor ∆ There were 2 gaurd's that night and the regular guard called off and a sub was there.

[@nonebusiness4488]

one of the guards were in on it.

[@mercurypoizund404]

Taylor Madison ...why was the 2nd guard ever publically named....hmmmm...

[@mercurypoizund404]

I think the homely lady was inonit...the heist and caper. ..definitely

[@erxfav3197]

@@lia1063 really? thats suspicious for certain..

[@ej2333]

Once a painting is cut out of it's frame, it looses value. Like a new car driving out of the dealership.

[@mit4c]

thank god for digitization, civilization wasn't really robbed, just the museum that most of us would never visit anyway.

[@breth8159]

The Thomas Crown Affair It's not ! more like the bass player in tie-dye affair !

[@carolineoreilly6817]

😂😂😂

[@RiffRock51]

27 years now since the theft, and still all 13 pieces are missing. Let's hope the Gardner gets them back soon in good condition.

[@ahyea3147]

John Noonan I'm so interested if they'll find it, I hope I'll be alive when that day will be there

[@erxfav3197]

Im thankful for positive and clean comments like these

[@Simp_Zone]

@@erxfav3197 CRAP!

[@bluzgrl2187]

Omg ! What a loss ! Poor security for such valuables !

[@KpxUrz5745]

Equally as bad as the theft is the fact that these priceless works were greatly damaged by bungling idiots who had no respect for great works of art, and sliced and mangled them any crude way they wanted to, with total disregard.