The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
The Good, Bad, and Weird Heists From Around The World
What is a heist? The dictionary definition is simply robbery or stealing, however, it’s usually much more than this. Many heists are well planned in advance with several individuals being involved. It can take weeks or even months of intense planning by clever criminals. Others can be stopped before they even start, as you can see from the infographic below by Lock Solutions.
Below are six detailed examples of heists involving: money, jewelry, gold and LEGO… You’ll be taken through the location, the date, the items stolen and the estimated value of the haul ranging from $30,000 to $108 million. You’ll also get to find out how they did it and if they were ever caught, some may very well surprise you.
There are also a few other funny thefts included at the bottom of the image. They include the world famous Mona Lisa and a rather confused penguin. There is also one bizarre attempt to camouflage ones self, failing miserably.
From well laid plans to broken down vans, we take a look at some of the strangest and most opportunistic heists!
Big Apple Break-In
Location: New York City Date: July 2014 Items stolen: Money Est. value: $290,000
How did they do it? While the people of New York celebrated Independence day, thieves spied an opportunity and broke into Lower East Side Bank. While everyone was marveling at the 4th of July fireworks, thieves sawed a hole into the roof of the bank and made off with the loot.
Were they caught? Investigations are still ongoing, though word is they invested some of their money in a fireworks shop.
Fashion Felony
Location: Paris, France Date: December 2008 Items stolen: Jewelry Est. value: $108,000,000
How did they do it? Four men entered an upmarket jewelry store in Paris and looted the lot without firing a single shot. The staff were probably distracted by the fact three of the men were in wigs and dresses.
Were they caught? Twenty-five people between the ages of 22 & 67 have since been arrested for both the heist and bad fashion choices.
Revolution Robbery
Location: Beirut, Lebanon Date: January 1976 Items stolen: Gold, Money Est. value: $100,000
How did they do it? The bank raid took place amidst a civil war and their methods were far from subtle! The group blasted a hole in teh wall that it shared with the neighboring church. The group plundered the vault for 2 days to fund the growing crisis.
Were they caught? Revolutionary groups claimed responsibility for the raid, but owing to the nature of the situation, apprehension was somewhat futile…
Burrowing Burglars
Location: Argentina Date: January 2006 Items stolen: Money Est. value: $25-$70,000,000
How did they do it? Thieves tunneled up into the basement of a bank in Buenos Aires where they emptied the vaults and safety deposit boxes while holding 24 hostages.
Were they caught? After negotiating the release of 4 hostages in exchange for pizzas and sodas, the thieves slipped into their tunnel that led to a clean getaway via the La Plata River (and presumably ice cream for desert).
Grand Theft Auto
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Date: April 1971 Items stolen: Money Est. value: $1,140,000
How did they do it? The thieves planned to steal a bank security van. After sabotaging the petrol tank, they snuck into the repair shop & stole the keys. Two days later they casually walked up to the van & let themselves in!
Were they caught? After being spotted moving the money into another car, they were sentenced 14 years. They won an appeal to reduce the sentence but were found guilty of the bungled attempts at robbing another bank prior.
Lego Larceny
Location: Victoria, Australia Date: May 2014 Items stolen: Legos Est. value: AU $30,000
How did they do it? In probably the strangest of heists, legos and other valuable toys were targeted in a series of smash and grab thefts from toy shops around Australia. In Seymour, Victoria, the thieves made off with $10,000 worth of plastic in just a few minutes.
Were they caught? The blocky burglars are sadly still at large, indiscriminately targeting red and blue blocks alike.
A Familiar Face
In 1911, a disgruntled ex-employee stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in Paris. He later tried to pawn the picture in Florence… and failed.
Makin’ Lemonade
In 1995, a man was arrested for robbing two banks. He was puzzled as to how they identified him on CCTV as he’d covered his face with lemon juice, which is sometimes used for invisible ink.
Picked Up A Penguin
In 2012, three British tourists broke into Sea World in Australia and stole a penguin. They woke up to find dirk wondering around their hotel room.
![Heists From Around The World [Infographic]](https://cdn.confessionsoftheprofessions.com/infographics/good-bad-weird-heists-world-infographic.jpg)
