Stealing art isn’t just about money. It’s about mystery, ambition, and sometimes, pure audacity.
Paintings are snatched in the dead of night in heists so slick they feel like movie plots. The stolen masterpieces often vanish without a trace. Only 5-10% of art thefts are ever solved.
Van Goghs and Rembrandts seem to be a prime target.
And art heists are big business these days. Pilfered artworks can’t easily be sold through legitimate channels on the open market. But they are often sold to private collectors or used as collateral in underworld dealings.
You’d think museum security would’ve improved. But some of these heists are of fairly recent vintage.
Some artworks were recovered, some remain missing, and a few turned up in the strangest places.
Here’s a look at the biggest art heists of all time. In these thefts, the stakes were high, the thieves were bold, and the endings weren’t always what you’d expect.
Biggest Art Heists In History
1. Van Gogh Museum Heist (2002) – Amsterdam, Netherlands
What Was Stolen?
Two early Van Gogh paintings:
- View of the Sea at Scheveningen (1882) – One of Van Gogh’s rare seascapes, painted in The Hague during his early years.
- Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen (1884–85) – A sentimental work depicting the church where Van Gogh’s father was a pastor.
What Happened?
The Van Gogh Museum holds the world’s largest collection of the artist’s work, which makes it a prize target for thieves looking for a high-stakes heist.
In the early hours of December 7, 2002, two thieves scaled the museum walls using a rope ladder. Once on the roof, they smashed a window, slipped inside, and went straight for the paintings.
The whole job took just a few minutes. An alarm went off, but with the museum still closed, there was no immediate response.
The thieves grabbed what they came for. They escaped the same way they entered, leaving behind nothing but some tools and a ladder.
Resolution:
For 14 years, the paintings were presumed lost, circulating through the underground art market.
Then, in 2016, an investigation into the Neapolitan mafia (Camorra) led Italian authorities to a hidden cache of stolen goods.
The two Van Gogh paintings were discovered in a farmhouse near Naples, carefully wrapped but missing their frames.
The exact masterminds behind the theft were never fully identified. However, one arrested suspect cooperated and tipped police off to the paintings’ location.
Despite the long absence, the artworks were in good condition.
2. The Missing Fabergé Eggs (1917) – Russia
What was stolen?
Several of the imperial Fabergé eggs made for the Russian tsars. These jeweled masterpieces, created by the House of Fabergé, were given as Easter gifts by the Russian royal family.
Each one was a unique, handcrafted treasure. They often contain hidden surprises like miniature portraits, clocks, or even tiny mechanical animals.
What happened?
During the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks seized the Romanov family’s collection of Fabergé eggs.
Over time, as the Soviet government struggled financially, they began selling off the eggs to foreign collectors. Many were bought by wealthy buyers in Europe and the United States, including the American businessman Armand Hammer and the collector Malcolm Forbes.
Not all the eggs made it to the auction block. Some simply disappeared from the records. At least seven remain missing to this day.
Resolution:
For decades, collectors and historians have searched for the lost Fabergé eggs. They hoped they might turn up in private collections, forgotten vaults, or even flea markets. In 2014, one of them did.
An American scrap metal dealer unknowingly bought one of the missing Fabergé eggs at a flea market for just over $13,000, intending to melt it down for gold. Luckily, before scrapping it, he decided to research its history.
It turned out to be the Third Imperial Egg, made in 1887 for Tsar Alexander III. Once its authenticity was confirmed, the egg was quietly sold to a private collector for an estimated $33 million.
The remaining missing eggs could still be out there somewhere, hidden away in an attic, hidden in a safe, or sitting unnoticed in a collection.
3. Stockholm National Museum Heist (2000) – Sweden
What was stolen?
Three priceless paintings were taken in a dramatic heist:
- A Young Parisian by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Conversation with the Gardener by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Self-Portrait by Rembrandt
What happened?
The heist was anything but subtle. Armed thieves stormed the museum, firing machine guns to keep people at bay.
As they grabbed the paintings, they set off car bombs in the city. As they intended, the chaos distracted the police and delayed their response.
By the time authorities were able to act, the thieves had vanished, leaving behind a stunned city and a major international investigation.
The sophistication of the attack suggested that this wasn’t the work of small-time criminals. The combination of heavy weaponry, strategic diversions, and precise execution pointed to a larger, well-organized criminal network with connections to the underground art trade.
Resolution
The paintings were eventually recovered. But the full story of the heist remains unsolved.
Some suspects were identified and arrested. But many believe key players in the operation are still unknown. The attack’s level of coordination suggests the involvement of a larger, possibly international criminal syndicate.
Even though the artwork is now safe, questions linger. Were the paintings stolen on commission for a wealthy buyer?
Were they used as bargaining chips in other criminal dealings? And, most importantly, who was really behind it?
4. The Ghent Altarpiece Panel Theft (1934) – Belgium
What Was Stolen?
The Ghent Altarpiece is a significant masterpiece of early Northern Renaissance art. And it’s the most stolen artwork in history!
It was stolen by Napoleon and then repeatedly swiped and replaced during WWI and WWII. Hitler wanted it as the centerpiece of a new museum he planned.
In 1934, the altarpiece’s Just Judges panel vanished.
What Happened?
On the night of April 10, 1934, thieves broke into St. Bavo’s Cathedral and stole the lower-left panel, known as The Just Judges (or Righteous Judges). They left the rest of the altarpiece intact, suggesting a targeted theft rather than random looting.
The heist was executed without much evidence left behind, though some believe the thieves may have had inside knowledge of the cathedral’s security. No alarms were triggered, and the crime wasn’t discovered until the next morning.
Resolution:
Shortly after the theft, the bishop of Ghent received a ransom note. The demand? One million Belgian francs for the return of the missing panel.
A string of coded messages followed, beginning negotiations with the mysterious thief. At one point, they even returned another panel from the Ghent Altarpiece, John the Baptist, as proof they had The Just Judges. But talks fell apart, and the stolen panel was never seen again.
It remains one of the greatest unsolved art crimes in history. Theories about its fate are endless. Some believe it never left Belgium, possibly hidden behind a wall or buried somewhere in Ghent.
In 1941, a Belgian stockbroker named Arsène Goedertier allegedly confessed on his deathbed that he knew where it was. But he died before revealing the location.
Another theory claims it was destroyed during World War II to keep it out of Nazi hands. Some think it was smuggled into a private collection, hidden away from the world.
Today, a replica replaces the missing panel in the Ghent Altarpiece, but the case is still open.
5. The Scream Heist (1994) – Oslo, Norway
What Was Stolen?
The Scream (1893) by Edvard Munch—one of the most iconic and haunting paintings in art history.
What Happened?
It was 1994, and the Winter Olympics were in full swing in Lillehammer, Norway. While the country was obsessed with the games, two thieves saw an opportunity.
In the early hours of February 12, they broke into the National Gallery of Norway. They didn’t use any high-tech gadgets or elaborate disguises either.
They smashed a window, cut the wire securing the painting, and walked out with one of the world’s most famous artworks—all in under a minute.
For good measure, they left a note behind: “Thanks for the poor security.”
Resolution:
For three months, The Scream was missing, and Norway was furious. This wasn’t just any art heist—it was a national embarrassment. The police, the media, and art lovers around the world were desperate for answers.
Eventually, after an undercover sting operation, Norwegian authorities recovered the painting in May 1994.
Surprisingly, aside from a pin-sized hole, The Scream was undamaged. But the exact details of how the thieves pulled it off—and who else may have been involved—are still a mystery.
6. The Duke of Wellington Heist (1961) – London, England
What Was Stolen?
Portrait of the Duke of Wellington by Francisco Goya, a celebrated 19th century painting and the only Goya portrait ever stolen.
What Happened?
On August 21, 1962, the painting was stolen from the National Gallery of Art under mysterious circumstances. The robbery left authorities baffled.
How did someone manage to breach the high-security system, evade electronic surveillance, and slip past five security guards without being caught?
The theft was so audacious that it even made its way into pop culture—the missing painting was referenced in the James Bond film Dr. No, which was released that same year.
Resolution:
For years, investigators struggled to crack what became known as the “Goya Affair.” No leads, no suspects. Just a missing masterpiece. Then, in 1965, the painting was unexpectedly returned.
The person behind the crime? Not an art-loving criminal mastermind, but an elderly, unemployed taxi driver named Kempton Bunton.
Bunton, a 240 pound retiree, confessed to stealing the painting. He claimed he had climbed into the gallery using a builder’s ladder while the guards were either asleep or distracted.
But this raised an obvious question. How did an elderly, heavyset man manage to scale a ladder, steal a framed painting, and escape unnoticed?
Later, Bunton recanted his confession. This led many to believe he was covering for someone else, perhaps a younger, more agile accomplice. To this day, the full truth behind the Goya heist remains a mystery.
7. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Heist (1972) – Canada
What was stolen?
Eighteen paintings, including works by Rembrandt, Delacroix, and Corot, were taken in the biggest art heist in Canadian history. The stolen works were worth an estimated $2 million at the time, though their value would be much higher today.
What happened?
On September 4, 1972, a group of masked thieves pulled off a daring robbery at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The heist, later called the “Skylight Caper,” was both well-planned and brazen.
The thieves entered the museum through a skylight, which had been under repair at the time. Armed with guns, they tied up three security guards and forced them to lie on the ground.
They then moved quickly through the galleries, grabbing 18 paintings as well as jewelry and other decorative objects.
The thieves triggered an alarm as they tried to make their getaway. Spooked, they dropped two valuable paintings—one by Picasso and another by El Greco—near a side door and left them behind.
Resolution:
The thieves were never identified. And the stolen artwork has never been recovered.
Some believe the heist was the work of organized crime. Others think it may have been a commissioned theft for a private collector.
Shortly after the theft, the museum received photographs of the stolen artworks and a ransom demand.
As a gesture of good faith, the thieves directed museum officials to a locker at Montreal Central Station, where they found Landscape with Vehicles & Cattle. This is the only painting recovered from the theft.
Over the years, investigators and art historians have followed countless leads. But the paintings still remain missing.
The case has gone cold. To this day, the Skylight Caper is one of the most frustrating and mysterious unsolved art heists in history.
8. The Dresden Green Vault Heist (2019) – Germany
What was stolen?
Priceless diamonds and jewelry from the historic Green Vault in the Royal Palace of Dresden.
What happened?
This was a meticulously planned professional heist of cultural heirlooms. A gang of five masked thieves scouted the place several times.
To get inside, they used a hydraulic cutting machine to saw through the bars of the window. Once inside, they smashed glass cases with axes and grabbed the royal jewels, including the famous Dresden White Diamond.
They escaped in two getaway cars, which were later found on fire.
Resolution:
Suspects were eventually arrested and 31 objects were recovered. But most of the treasure (including the famous Saxon white diamond) remains missing, leaving the royal collection with gaps.
The thieves were members of the Remmo crime family. They were arrested and tried one year later.
9. The Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris Heist (2010) – Paris, France
This famous art heist is known as the “Spider-Man” theft and as the “heist of the century.”
What was stolen?
5 masterpieces, including works by Picasso, Matisse, Braque, Leger, and Modigliani.
What happened?
On a chilly spring day in 2010, in the dead of night, a solo thief (Vjeran Tomic) broke into the Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville. He was known as the “Spiderman thief” because of past robberies where he scaled buildings in pursuit of a score.
This job, however, was relatively easy. He cut through a window, disabled security, and snuck into MAM unhindered.
The museum’s alarm system wasn’t functioning and awaiting repair. Tomic snuck past.
He stole five paintings worth €100 million. The Modigliani was the most valuable.
Tomic nearly got away with the heist. He was only caught after bragging about it to someone who sent in an anonymous tip.
Resolution:
The paintings were never found. Tomic claims he threw them in the trash to avoid getting caught.
But this is most likely a lie. They have probably been spirited away. Or the thieves are in jail, and may one day appear to retrieve their loot.
10. The Louvre Heist (1911) – Paris France
What was stolen?
The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, now the world’s most famous painting.
What happened?
The Mona Lisa wasn’t always rock star famous. Its rise to superstardom only happened after a daring art heist in 1911.
It was pulled off by an Italian handyman named Vincenzo Peruggia, who had once worked at the Louvre.
Peruggia believed the Mona Lisa rightfully belonged in Italy, not France. On the night of August 20-21, he used his insider knowledge of the museum to stay behind after closing.
Disguised in a white smock, like the museum’s workers, he removed the painting from the wall, hid it under his coat, and walked right out the door.
By morning, the world was in shock. News of the theft spread like wildfire, turning the Mona Lisa into an overnight sensation.
The Louvre initially left its empty frame hanging on the wall, a haunting reminder of the loss. Even Pablo Picasso was questioned as a suspect before being cleared.
Resolution:
The painting remained missing for over two years. Then, in 1913, Peruggia resurfaced, trying to sell it to an art dealer in Florence.
He was quickly caught, and the Mona Lisa was recovered. The painting went on a brief tour through Italy before returning to its permanent home at the Louvre.
Today, the Mona Lisa is behind bulletproof glass in a roped off space.
11. National Gallery of Modern Art Heist (1998) – Rome, Italy
What was stolen?
- The Gardener by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
- L’Arlésienne (Madame Ginoux) by Vincent van Gogh (1890)
- Le Cabanon de Jourdan by Paul Cézanne (1906)
What happened?
In May 1998, Rome’s National Gallery of Modern Art was robbed. Three masked thieves, armed and barefoot, infiltrated the museum just before its 10:00 pm closing time.
They subdued the security personnel, binding and gagging two guards. A third was forced to disable the security system and surrender the CCTV footage.
The assailants then confined the guards in a bathroom before proceeding to the Impressionist gallery. Within approximately 15 minutes, they seized three invaluable paintings.
The theft garnered extensive media attention due to the prominence of the artists and the estimated value of the stolen works. Investigators from Italy’s art crime units suspected internal collaboration, given the precision of the operation.
They scrutinized all 160 museum employees, eventually focusing on individuals with potential motives or connections to the culprits. Surveillance and wiretaps revealed that some suspects had previously met in a Brussels prison, suggesting a well-organized group.
As the stolen paintings proved challenging to sell, tensions arose among the thieves, leading to careless actions.
After 48 days, authorities arrested eight individuals connected to the theft and successfully recovered the stolen artworks. The thieves were sentenced to 2.5 to 8 years in prison.
11. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist (1990) – Boston, USA
Last, but definitely not least, is the biggest art heist in history — the theft at the Isabella Stewart Garner Museum in Boston. I’ve read a book and watched a doc-series on it. It’s fascinating stuff.
What Was Stolen?
13 incredibly valuable artworks were purloined, including two famous paintings by Rembrandt, a Vermeer painting, a Manet painting and sketches by Degas.
Storm on the Sea of Galilee was Rembrandt’s only seascape. The Rembrandts and the exceedingly rare Vermeer are alone worth $500 million.
Oddly, the thieves left behind artworks by Titian, Michelangelo, and Botticelli. So, it’s safe to say they weren’t art experts.
What Happened?
On March 18, 1990, two men disguised as Boston police officers entered the museum and pulled off the greatest art heist in history. They walked away with well over half a billion dollars’ worth of art.
They fooled the guards into thinking they were there to investigate a disturbance. The guard broke protocol, let them in, and were handcuffed.
Resolution:
Despite investigations by the FBI, tips from art detectives, and a $10 million reward, none of the stolen artworks have been recovered. The empty frames still hang in the museum as a reminder of the missing pieces.
There have been theories and suspicions about the guards being involved, particularly Rick Abath, the night watchman who admitted to breaking protocol that night.
The FBI believes that two of the thieves were killed soon after the theft and no one knows where they stashed the loot.
If you want to learn more about this art heist, tune in to This is a Robbery on Netflix.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to the biggest art heists in history. You may enjoy these other art guides:
- Florence art bucket list
- Venice art bucket list
- London art bucket list
- Italy art bucket list
- Best museum in the US
- Best museums in Paris
- Best museums in Rome
- Best museums in Madrid
- Best museums in London
- Best museums in Barcelona
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