The Art Theft Of The Century

It was the largest Art theft in US history. And it took just 81 minutes. It happened at the Isabella Gardner Museum. It might have been the perfect time to commit a crime in Boston. It was the early morning hours after Saint Patrick's day. That's when two men dressed as police officers showed up at the Gardner Museum near Boston's Fenway Park. At 1:24 AM on March 18th 1990, two men dressed as police and claiming to be such buzzed the intercom. They claimed to be investigating a disturbance on the ground. The guards foolishly decided to let them in. The guards were then immediately taken downstairs and tied up and put at opposite ends of the basement. The thieves now had free reign of the museum and they seemed to know exactly what they wanted. They stole 13 pieces of precious Art including Rembrandt's Storm Of The Sea Of Galilee which is a significant piece because it is the only known seascape of Rembrandt's. They also stole Ramier's The Concert which represent 1 of only 32 pieces done by Ramier.

In addition they took a Mana painting, 5 Degoses, and the eagle on top of a Napoleonic flag. They actually cut the paintings out of the frame and to this day you can actually see the jagged edges of the remains of the paintings of these great artists. The phony policemen then removed the museum's surveillance video and were gone by 2:45 AM. The men stole 13 masterpieces all when all was accounted for. The net worth of the art is estimated $100,000,000 in 1990. This theft of Art represents the largest art theft in US history. Current value of the missing artwork is estimated at between $200,000,000 to $500,000,000 and more. The description of the suspects didn't help much. They were said to be two thirtyish white guys with moustaches that may or may not have been fake. Over the years the FBI has pursued more than 2000 leads and involved agents from more than 56 different offices in four contents. They have looked at the common every day thief, at drug cartels, international theft rings all without luck.

They are currently offering a $5,000,000 reward for information leading to the return of the pieces of artwork in good condition. In spite the continued interest in the case, there have been no takers and the case remains unsolved. Whoever stole the artwork is still at large.