The FBI’s Press Conference on the Gardner heist, held on the 23^rd anniversary of the crime, revealed some new information considered sensational by the media.  The largest property crime in peace-time history saw the theft of thirteen artworks, valued around $500 million during one 81-minute theft from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.  The crime was perpetrated during the night after the St. Patrick’s Day revels, in 1990.  A $5 million reward still stands for information leading to the successful recovery of all the works in question.  Myriad theories have swirled around who was behind this crime, for surely it was some larger organized crime group, more elaborate than the two thieves disguised as policemen who bluffed their way into the museum, tricking student security staff into opening the door without first checking with the police department.  The same criminals had tried another tactic some days prior to the theft, when one of their gang, posing as a mugging victim, frantically banged on the service entrance door to the museum, screaming for help.  That night, with professional security staff on duty, the door was not opened, and it was noted that the “mugging victim” was seen leaving amicably with his “muggers” later that night.  But the crime was eventually successful, with works by Rembrandt and Vermeer headlining the haul.

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