RD.COM Humor
Morgan CutoloUpdated: Jan. 25, 2023
Even though many of these items are extremely large and worth millions of dollars, these determined criminals still managed to steal them.
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The Mona Lisa
Ever heard of it? The answer is most likely yes, considering it is the most famous painting in the world. The criminal, Vincenzo Perugia, was a handyman working at the Louvre, where the painting is displayed. In 1911, he hid in a closet until the museum closed and then took off with it with two other handymen. It was finally recovered and returned to the Louvre in 1913 after Perugia attempted to sell it to an art dealer in Italy. This painting tops the list of the most expensive things ever stolen with a price tag of at least $2 billion. Did you know that the Mona Lisa is just one of many famous paintings with secret messages?
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The Empire State Building
No, the Empire State Building wasn’t actually picked up and stolen, but the property was. In December of 2008, the New York Daily News stole the $1.89 billion dollar building by filing fake paperwork with the city to transfer the deed to the property. The journalists did it to prove that there was a loophole in the law when it came to the city’s way of recording transactions. The newspaper returned the building to its rightful owner and the law was tightened up. Next, check out these vintage old computers that could be worth a fortune.
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The Davidoff-Morini Stradivarius
The Stradivarius is a $3.5 million violin that was stolen from the famous concert violinist Erica Morini. The violin was made in 1727 by Antonio Stradivari and was stolen from Morini’s apartment in New York City. At the time, Morini was 91 and she died shortly after her prized possession was stolen. The violin still hasn’t been found and is on the FBI’s top ten art crimes list. You’ll also want to read up on the 38 dumbest criminals of all time.
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Dorothy’s ruby red slippers
Dorothy’s ruby red shoes that she famously clicks together to take her back home in the Wizard of Oz were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota in 2005. The shoes are said to be worth anywhere from $2 to $3 million. An anonymous donor from Arizona offered a $1 million prize to anyone who can state who stole the slippers and where they are.In September 2018, the FBI announced they recovered the stolen slippers and an active investigation into the case was still underway.
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The Scream
There are four versions of this famous painting by Edvard Munch. The most famous of the four, worth $120 million, was finished in 1893 and is housed at the National Gallery in Oslo, Norway. Thieves stole the painting in 1994 (and again in 2004!) and demanded $1 million in ransom. Their demands were rejected, the criminals were captured by the police in a sting mission, and the painting was returned to its museum.
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Dinosaur bones
Yes, you read that right—criminals have managed to steal dinosaurs. Eric Prokopi stole the skeletons of over half a dozen dinosaurs from Mongolia and smuggled them back to the U.S. The bones were said to have been worth over $1 million. Prokopi was caught by the FBI and sentenced to three months in jail. The dinosaur bones were returned to Mongolia.
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A 3,000-pound bell
In 2005, a Vietnamese copper bell was stolen from the Buddhist Monastery in Tacoma, Washington. The criminal stole it while the monks were deep in meditation. The police believe that the thief just came in with a forklift and stole it. The bell was recovered three years later when the thief tried to sell it, and it’s a good thing because the bell was priceless. We bet you didn’t know these 13 celebrities have FBI files.
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Seven fabergé eggs
The House of Fabergé created 50 jewel-encrusted eggs for the Russian royal family from 1885 up until the revolution in 1917. They were lost during the Bolshevik revolution and all but seven are now on display in museums (one wasfound—by a Midwestern scrap metal dealer at a market). Valued at more than $1 million each, the missing eggs are one of the most expensive things ever stolen.
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Barbara Gindl/Shutterstock
The Saliera
The Saliera is a 10-inch gold sculpture made by the 16th-century artist Benvenuto Cellini for King Francis I of France. Not only is this a gorgeous sculpture, but it is also practical; it was made to hold salt and pepper. The sculpture, worth about $57 million, was stolen from a museum in Vienna in 2003. The thief was able to keep The Saliera in his possession for a few years before being caught by police.Here aremore of the unluckiest criminals ever.
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Public domain via Wikimedia
The Concert
This incredibly famous painting by Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer, was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990. Eleven other paintings were also stolen at the time, but The Concert is the most famous and most expensive of them all, valued at $200 million. All twelve stolen paintings were collectively valued at more than $500 million.Check out thesesecrets the FBI doesn’t want you to know.
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Barbara Gindl/Shutterstock
Amber Room
Many say that the Amber Room is the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” It was built for Frederick, King of Prussia in the early 18th century. The gold chamber was stolen by the Nazis in 1941 and moved to Königsberg Castle in Königsberg, East Prussia, now Kaliningrad, Russia. The room was supposedly destroyed along with the castle in 1945, but some experts still believe that it was saved and may be hiding somewhere. Next, read up on the strangest unsolved mysteries of all time.
Originally Published: March 06, 2019
Morgan Cutolo
Morgan Cutolo is a former senior production editor at Trusted Media Brands. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2016, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. In her free time, she likes exploring the seacoast of Maine, where she lives, and snuggling up on the couch with her corgi, Eggo, to watch HGTV or The Office.
As an expert in art theft and cultural heritage crimes, I can provide valuable insights into the various incidents mentioned in the article by RD.COM, authored by Morgan Cutolo and updated on January 25, 2023. The article covers daring thefts of highly valuable items, ranging from iconic artworks to historical artifacts. My expertise in this field is based on a comprehensive understanding of art history, criminology, and law enforcement efforts to combat such crimes.
Let's delve into the concepts related to each item mentioned in the article:
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The Mona Lisa:
- Notable for being the most famous painting globally.
- Stolen in 1911 by Vincenzo Perugia, a handyman at the Louvre.
- Recovered in 1913 after Perugia's attempt to sell it in Italy.
-
The Empire State Building:
- Property theft through fake paperwork in 2008 by the New York Daily News.
- Demonstrates a legal loophole in the city's transaction recording process.
- The building was returned, prompting legal reforms.
-
The Davidoff-Morini Stradivarius:
- A $3.5 million violin made by Antonio Stradivari, stolen from Erica Morini in 1727.
- Still on the FBI's top ten art crimes list.
-
Dorothy’s Ruby Red Slippers:
- Stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005.
- Valued at $2 to $3 million.
- Recovered by the FBI in September 2018.
-
The Scream:
- Famous painting by Edvard Munch, stolen in 1994 and 2004.
- Worth $120 million.
- Recovered by police in a sting operation.
-
Dinosaur Bones:
- Stolen by Eric Prokopi from Mongolia.
- Smuggled back to the U.S. and valued at over $1 million.
- Prokopi sentenced to three months in jail, bones returned to Mongolia.
-
A 3,000-Pound Bell:
- Stolen from a Buddhist Monastery in Tacoma, Washington, in 2005.
- Recovered three years later when the thief attempted to sell it.
-
Seven Fabergé Eggs:
- Created by the House of Fabergé for the Russian royal family.
- Valued at more than $1 million each.
- Lost during the Bolshevik revolution, with seven still missing.
-
The Saliera:
- A 10-inch gold sculpture by Benvenuto Cellini, stolen in 2003.
- Valued at about $57 million.
- Recovered after a few years in the possession of the thief.
-
The Concert:
- Painting by Johannes Vermeer, stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990.
- Valued at $200 million, part of a $500 million heist.
- Still missing, considered one of the most expensive stolen paintings.
-
Amber Room:
- Constructed in the early 18th century, stolen by the Nazis in 1941.
- Moved to Königsberg Castle and allegedly destroyed in 1945.
- Some experts believe it may still exist.
These cases highlight the audacity of criminals in targeting culturally significant and valuable items, and the ongoing efforts to recover and preserve stolen cultural heritage.
