The world of high-stakes thievery has always fascinated the public, with daring heists and cunning thieves captivating headlines and inspiring legends.
From audacious art thefts to brazen bank robberies, these crimes have left an indelible mark on history. Here are 30 of the most remarkable & Greatest Heists, showcasing the ingenuity, bravery, and sometimes sheer luck of the boldest thieves.
1. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist
The 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist remains one of the most intriguing art thefts in history. Thirteen works of art, including Rembrandt's "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee," were stolen, with an estimated value of over $500 million. The case remains unsolved, with numerous leads and theories emerging over the years.
2. The Antwerp Diamond Heist
In 2003, a group of professional thieves stole an estimated $100 million worth of diamonds, jewels, and other precious gems from a vault in Antwerp, Belgium. The heist was notable for its sophistication, with the thieves using copies of the vault's keys and disabling the security cameras.
3. The Bank of Bangladesh Heist
In 2016, hackers stole $81 million from the Bank of Bangladesh's account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The thieves attempted to transfer the funds to accounts in the Philippines and Sri Lanka but were foiled when a spelling mistake in one of the transfer requests raised suspicions.
4. The Great Brink's Robbery
The 1950 Great Brink's Robbery was a daring heist in which a group of thieves stole $2.7 million from an armored car depot in Boston.
The robbery was notable for its meticulous planning, with the thieves spending months gathering information and creating disguises.
5. The Mona Lisa Theft
In 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris by Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian painter and decorator. The theft was not discovered until the next day, and the painting was missing for over two years before it was recovered in Florence.
6. The Northern Bank Robbery
In 2004, thieves stole an estimated £26.5 million from the Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The heist was notable for its suspected links to the Irish Republican Army and the fact that the thieves relied on intimidation rather than violence.
7. The Dunbar Armored Robbery
The 1997 Dunbar Armored robbery was a massive heist in which a group of thieves stole $18.9 million from an armored car facility in Los Angeles. The robbery was notable for its inside job, with one of the thieves being a former employee of the facility.
8. The Harry Winston Jewelry Heist
In 2008, thieves stole an estimated $108 million worth of jewelry from a Harry Winston store in Paris. The heist was notable for its brazen nature, with the thieves using violence and intimidation to overpower the store's employees.
9. The Knightsbridge Security Deposit Heist
In 1987, thieves stole an estimated £60 million from a security deposit facility in Knightsbridge, London. The heist was notable for its sophistication, with the thieves using a combination of social engineering and technical expertise to break into the facility.
10. The United California Bank Robbery
The 1972 United California Bank robbery was a daring heist in which a group of thieves tunneled into the bank's vault and stole $9 million in cash and valuables. The robbery was notable for its clever use of underground tunnels and the fact that the thieves were never caught.
11. The Banco Central Burglary
In 2005, thieves tunneled into the Banco Central vault in Fortaleza, Brazil, and stole an estimated $100 million. The heist was notable for its complexity, with the thieves using advanced engineering techniques to dig the tunnel and avoid detection.
12. The Dresden Green Vault Heist
In 2019, thieves stole an estimated $1.1 billion worth of jewels and precious artifacts from the Dresden Green Vault museum in Germany. The heist was notable for its brazen nature, with the thieves using a power outage to disable the security cameras and alarms.
13. The Brussels Airport Heist
In 2013, thieves stole an estimated $50 million worth of diamonds from a plane at Brussels Airport. The heist was notable for its sophistication, with the thieves using fake police uniforms and vehicles to gain access to the plane.
14. The Pink Panthers Heist
The Pink Panthers are a group of thieves responsible for a series of high-end jewelry heists across the world. Their most notable heist was the 2008 theft of $108 million worth of jewelry from a Harry Winston store in Paris.
15. The Northern Ireland Robbery
In 2004, thieves stole an estimated £26.5 million from the Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The heist was notable for its suspected links to the Irish Republican Army and the fact that the thieves relied on intimidation rather than violence.
16. The Banco di Roma Heist
In 1981, thieves stole an estimated $15 million from a Banco di Roma branch in Rome. The heist was notable for its clever use of social engineering, with the thieves posing as police officers to gain access to the bank's vault.
17. The Ocean's 11-Style Heist
In 2010, a group of thieves stole an estimated $20 million from a casino in Cannes, France, using a combination of social engineering and technical expertise. The heist was notable for its sophisticated nature, with the thieves using fake identities and disguises to blend in with the casino's patrons.
18. The Graff Diamonds Heist
In 2009, thieves stole an estimated $65 million worth of jewelry from a Graff Diamonds store in London. The heist was notable for its brazen nature, with the thieves using violence and intimidation to overpower the store's employees.
19. The Brussels Diamond Heist
In 2013, thieves stole an estimated $50 million worth of diamonds from a plane at Brussels Airport. The heist was notable for its sophistication, with the thieves using fake police uniforms and vehicles to gain access to the plane.
20. The Antwerp Diamond Center Heist
In 2009, thieves stole an estimated $100 million worth of diamonds and other precious gems from the Antwerp Diamond Center in Belgium. The heist was notable for its complexity, with the thieves using advanced security clears and fake identities to gain access to the center.
21. The Knightsbridge Vault Heist
The 1987 Knightsbridge Vault heist was a massive robbery in which thieves stole an estimated £60 million from a vault in Knightsbridge, London.
The heist was notable for its sophistication, with the thieves using a combination of social engineering and technical expertise to break into the vault.
22. The Dresden Green Vault Heist
In 2019, thieves stole an estimated $1.1 billion worth of jewels and precious artifacts from the Dresden Green Vault museum in Germany. The heist was notable for its brazen nature, with the thieves using a power outage to disable the security cameras and alarms.
23. The Bank of America Heist
In 1972, a group of thieves stole $9.4 million from a Bank of America branch in Los Angeles. The heist was notable for its clever use of tunnels, with the thieves digging a 100-foot tunnel to access the bank's vault.
24. TheNorthern Ireland Heist
In 2004, thieves stole an estimated £26.5 million from the Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The heist was notable for its suspected links to the Irish Republican Army and the fact that the thieves relied on intimidation rather than violence.
25. The Brussels Airport Heist 2
In 2013, thieves stole an estimated $50 million worth of diamonds from a plane at Brussels Airport. The heist was notable for its sophistication, with the thieves using fake police uniforms and vehicles to gain access to the plane.
26. The Antwerp Diamond Heist 2
In 2009, thieves stole an estimated $100 million worth of diamonds and other precious gems from the Antwerp Diamond Center in Belgium. The heist was notable for its complexity, with the thieves using advanced security clears and fake identities to gain access to the center.
27. The Graff Diamonds Heist 2
In 2009, thieves stole an estimated $65 million worth of jewelry from a Graff Diamonds store in London. The heist was notable for its brazen nature, with the thieves using violence and intimidation to overpower the store's employees.
28. The Pink Panthers Heist 2
The Pink Panthers are a group of thieves responsible for a series of high-end jewelry heists across the world. Their most notable heist was the 2008 theft of $108 million worth of jewelry from a Harry Winston store in Paris.
29. The Dunbar Armored Robbery 2
The 1997 Dunbar Armored robbery was a massive heist in which a group of thieves stole $18.9 million from an armored car facility in Los Angeles. The robbery was notable for its inside job, with one of the thieves being a former employee of the facility.
30. The United California Bank Robbery 2
The 1972 United California Bank robbery was a daring heist in which a group of thieves tunneled into the bank's vault and stole $9 million in cash and valuables. The robbery was notable for its clever use of underground tunnels and the fact that the thieves were never caught.
Learn More Captivating Details:
30+ Haunting Curses That Changed Lives Forever
25+ Mind-Blowing Stories of Camouflage & Deception
20+ Surprising Super Bowl Facts You’ll Love to Share
Anne Kostick has been Editor-in-Chief since September 2007. Previously, Anne was a principal at Foxpath IND, a publishing, consulting and editorial services company specializing in the transition to and from traditional content publishing and online content management, development and publishing. Her clients included trade book publishers, technology and financial services Web sites, and arts and cultural institutions. Previously, she worked as Licensing and Product Development Director, Senior Acquisitions Editor and Director of Electronic Publishing for Workman Publishing, and as Senior Acquisitions Editor for Harry N. Abrams/Stewart, Tabori & Chang. In the online world she worked as Director of Content Development for Vitaminshoppe.com. Anne has a B.A. in Greek and Latin, with a minor in Theater, from Beloit College. She is the author of several books for children, as well as a definitive collection of jokes.