5 Shocking art heists: From Mona Lisa’s smile to the Louvre’s Royal jewels

Art inspires, captivates — and occasionally, disappears. Over the decades, priceless art masterpieces and bizarre installations alike have been stolen in daring, almost cinematic heists. Here’s a look at some of the most fascinating thefts that shook, surprised and awed the world — including the latest Louvre’s royal jewel robbery.

The Royal jewels vanish from the Louvre (2025)

Louvre Museum.

What can be termed as a scene straight out of Ocean’s Eleven, four men in fluorescent vests reached the Louvre on a busy Sunday morning in a truck that was blending perfectly into the hum of Paris. They climbed up to the Galerie d’Apollon using an extendable ladder, cut through a window, and disappeared with nine dazzling objects. All this was done within no time, literally. Some of the items they took with them included jewels that once belonged to France's Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.

With some high precision tools, perfectly timed planned, and well-practiced plan, the thieves carried out yet another historic art heist.

The Mona Lisa’s Mysterious getaway (1911)

Media people, wearing protective face masks, stand in front of the painting "Mona Lisa" (La Joconde) by Leonardo Da Vinci at the Louvre museum in Paris.

Today, it’s hard to imagine the Mona Lisa missing from the Louvre — but believe it or not, she was for two years. A museum employee named Vincenzo Peruggia simply walked out with her on August 21, 1911. Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece disappeared into Paris’s streets just like that and it was found only after two years.

Peruggia, claimed to be an Italian nationalist, and wanted to return the painting to Italy. He believed that painting belonged to Italy and had been wrongfully taken. When Mona Lisa resurfaced in Florence in 1913, she was greeted like a national figure and became the world’s most famous painting overnight, and remained so ever since.

The Gold Toilet that vanished (2019)

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At England’s Blenheim Palace, visitors could actually use a fully functional 18-carat gold toilet — an artwork titled America by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Valued at over $6 million, it was both a satire on wealth and an irresistible target.

In 2019, some thieves broke in during the night, unbolted the golden commode, and disappeared. What was left behind - a flooded bathroom and a baffled security team. Multiple agencies involved in the probe made several arrests but the toilet is yet to be recovered.

The Gardner Museum’s vanished treasures (1990)

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Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum still has some empty frames on its walls which are a reminder of one of the world’s largest art thefts. On St. Patrick’s Day night in 1990, two men dressed as cops talked their way inside, tied up the guards, and stole 13 works worth over $500 million.

The items they stole include Vermeer’s The Concert, Rembrandt’s Storm on the Sea of Galilee, and Degas sketches. No recovery in this instance also, and the museum still offers a $10 million reward which is the biggest bounty in art history.

The Scream that echoed through Oslo (2004)

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In broad daylight literally, armed robbers entered Oslo’s famous Munch Museum, taking The Scream and Madonna off the walls and all this happened in front of visitors watching it all. The audacity with which the whole episode unfolded was stunning — no subtle entry or disguise, just a full-blown hold-up.

Unlike most of the other heists, the artifacts have been recovered in this case after two years of international hunt. Although, the recovered paintings were slightly damaged, their return was celebrated almost like a national victory for Norway.