Art Theft

How Serious Is It?

 Statistics and Conditions
United States Bureau of Investigation (FBI) states:
 Estimated as high as $6,000,000,000 annually.

 Most burglaries by residents to further collection.

 Top Ten list.

 Statistics and Conditions
Museum Security Network says:
 Art theft is 3rd highest grossing criminal trade in past 40
years!

Helen Wackrow, University of Sydney states:

 These statistics are based on findings and reports.
 What we know is part of a much bigger picture.
 Statistics and Conditions
Jessica Wong, CBC News says:
 Not just for profit but trophies to impress others.

 Sometimes stolen for bargaining tools.

 No legitimate collector or museum would be interested.

 So what is a good example of an art
theft that has happened fairly recently?
Example of Art Theft
(The Gardner Case)
 Example of Art Theft
(The Gardner Case)

Milton Esterow, ARTnews states:

 Arguably the largest art heist in history.

 Began at 1:24 A.M. on March 18, 1990.

 The first painting stolen was Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait

(1629).
 Example of Art Theft
(The Gardner Case)

 Next was Rembrandt’s The Storm on the Sea of Galilee

(1633).

 Vermeer’s The Concert (1658-60).

 Example of Art Theft
(The Gardner Case)

 Lastly, they stole Manet’s Chez Tortoni (1878-80), and a

finial in the form of an eagle.
 Example of Art Theft
(The Gardner Case)

 They were concerned about the guards they put in the

basement and would periodically check on them.

 It took several trips to be able to get all of the art work stolen
to their vehicles.

 They escaped with ease and the approximate time it took for
these thieves to get in and get out was 81 minutes!

 To this day, this heist is probably the biggest unsolved art

theft that has ever occurred.
 So what is our
government doing in
trying to find these
thieves and diminish the
amount of art stolen each
year?
 Government Solutions
FBI Programs to fight art theft:
 One of the programs is called the “Art Theft Program”.

 The FBI has composed a highly dedicated team called the Art
Crime Team (ACT).

 This team is made up of 13 Special Agents and 3 Special Trial

Attorneys for prosecutions.
 Government Solutions
 The Program manager is Bonnie Magness-Gardiner.

 The ACT was established in 2004, mainly, because of the

looting of the Baghdad Museum.
 Government Solutions
FBI Programs to fight art theft:
 The FBI has created a “list” of art work stolen that are worth
$2,000 or more.

 This “list” is called the National Stolen Art File.

 Continues to grow each year and it shows that much of the

problem in the United States centers on residential burglaries
for private collections.
“Action is the foundational
key to all success.”

- Pablo Picasso