Home HistoryBoston History History of the $500M Boston art theft

History of the $500M Boston art theft

by The 100 Companies
Boston art theft

In 1990, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum lacked a single interior camera to surveil its priceless collection. According to the board, such modern security would be too expensive.

Soon, two thieves seized the opportunity. On St. Patrick’s Day, disguised as policemen, they demanded entry to “investigate a disturbance.” They declared the guards themselves suspect and handcuffed them without resistance. The thieves then proceeded to steal $500 million of art, including works by Degas, Rembrandt and Vermeer.

Lacking video evidence, the FBI was unable to make a single arrest. No art has been recovered, and a $10 million bounty exists today.

Chris Butsch

You may also like

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

The Boston 100