top 10 art crimes

[Wounds Within]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/15/art.heists/index.html

Seriously, what is the point of stealing famous masterpieces? It isn't like you can sell your theft becasue you will for sure get busted. They must just store them up in an attic or basement and let them rot.

I am a little shocked that the ever so famous "The Scream" painting has not yet been recovered and it has been missing for nearly a year now. You would think that word would have gotten out by now.

Even though I find it pointless to steal such work, I do however find it amazing that these crooks are able to bypass all security measures (guards, cameras, bulletproff glass, and even lazers) and leave nearly no clues behind. Now that my friends is orginized crime at it's best. How do they do that?

- Bloodied

[saechalyn]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/15/art.heists/index.html

Seriously, what is the point of stealing famous masterpieces? It isn't like you can sell your theft becasue you will for sure get busted.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I always wondered that as well, it's not like they can do anything with it. I guess they do it because they can.

[EvilDivaEva]

Even though I find it pointless to steal such work, I do however find it amazing that these crooks are able to bypass all security measures (guards, cameras, bulletproff glass, and even lazers) and leave nearly no clues behind. Now that my friends is orginized crime at it's best. How do they do that?

- Bloodied

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes it is really amazing. Sometimes the crooks just walk right into the gallery and take it right there with people all around. You would think that security would be amazing in the day hours when you have millions and millions of dollars worth of fine arts within the building and people all over the place viewing. I to am shocked that the scream paintingng is still missing in action. That is perhaps one of the most famous painting in the world, among one of my favorites anyway.

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

The problem with art museums is that they go through all the trouble of keeping their art in a place where people can see it. If they would only keep the art locked in a vault and then display copies of the art drawn by 1st graders, nobody would steal it (i might have spoken too soon)

Anyway on to seriousness. There are two ways to make this kind of theft work.

1. you are paid in advance by someone who is really rich, who wants the piece (or pieces) for their private collection... this is not all that uncommon.

2. you steal the art. and sit on it for a while. Then you contact the museum and then acting as a broker collect a ransom for the safe return. THis has happened a few times lately.

[Homicidalheathen]

You know what surprises me? How someone so obviously smart...with so much time on their hands...has not landed a decent job instead.

I mean, the risk and all....