The Heist: How 5 Men Robbed the National Museum

You’ve got to hand it to these thieves - they pulled off the heist of the century. In broad daylight, five men disguised as tourists strolled into the National Museum, bypassing layers of security to steal five priceless artifacts worth over $200 million. By the time the guards realized they’d been duped, the thieves had vanished without a trace. How did they do it? And where did they go? Pour yourself a coffee, sit back, and get ready for the story of how five clever crooks outwitted a nation and got away with millions. This is the inside scoop on the greatest art theft in modern history.

Ever wonder what it's like to pull off a high-stakes crime? You're about to find out. This is the true story of how five average Joes became overnight criminals after executing one of the most daring art heists in recent history. You're going to meet the mastermind, the thief, the lookout, the getaway driver, and the inside man. By the end of this, you'll know exactly how they did it and why they thought they could get away with it. Strap in, because you're about to go on a wild ride into the criminal underworld as we reveal how five men robbed the National Museum. But I'll warn you now: once you know the truth behind this unbelievable caper, you'll never look at a museum the same way again.

The Mastermind Behind the Operation

The mastermind behind the heist was none other than the infamous art thief Jean-Luc Moreau. For over 20 years, Moreau made a lavish living stealing priceless works of art from museums and private collections around the globe. His "jobs" were intricately planned for maximum reward and minimum risk. This brazen robbery of the National Museum had Moreau's signature style written all over it.

Moreau spent months meticulously organising every detail of the heist. He employed a crew of four other men, each with specialised skills, to help carry out the plan. They surveyed the museum, studied the security systems, and timed everything down to the second. On the night of the robbery, the timing had to be perfect. The museum's state-of-the-art alarm system could detect the smallest anomaly, so bypassing it would require split-second precision.

Once inside, the thieves had to evade infrared motion detectors and navigate a maze of corridors to reach the gallery housing their target: five priceless works of art worth over $200 million. Moreau's inside man had already disabled a few key security cameras, but the rest were still operational, so the crew had to move fast while avoiding full view of the cameras.

In less than 10 minutes, they smashed display cases, grabbed the paintings, and exited the way they came in. The alarm didn't sound until they had already made their getaway. By the time police arrived, Moreau and his men had disappeared into the night, taking with them a haul that would fund Moreau's lavish lifestyle for years to come. His daring, meticulously planned heist was a work of art in itself and cemented his status as a criminal mastermind.

Casing the Joint: Months of Planning

To pull off the heist of the century, these guys had to plan meticulously. For months, they visited the National Museum, learning its weaknesses and the habits of the guards.

They visited the museum frequently, posing as regular patrons while secretly

studying the security systems and staff rotations. The museum had state-of-the-art motion detectors, heat sensors, and security cameras on every floor, so they had to find blind spots and gaps in coverage to exploit.

They also befriended a few of the guards to get intel on their schedules and routines. A couple of the thieves even landed part-time jobs at the museum to get an insider’s view of its operations.

Once they mapped out all the security measures and the guards’ patrols, they created a detailed blueprint of the museum, highlighting the locations of each valuable artefact, exit points, security cameras, and the guards’ stations. They planned multiple escape routes in case anything went wrong.

When the timing seemed right, they were ready to make their move. In the dead of night, they cut the power to disable the security systems. Two of them had hacked into the system a month earlier to get passcodes that allowed access to the museum.

Dressed as guards, they slipped into the museum without detection. In less than 10 minutes, they cracked open display cases and safes to steal nearly $200 million in rare jewels, gold, and artefacts before fleeing out of a fire escape into the getaway van.

Thanks to their cunning and diligent preparation, they had achieved the unthinkable. But their victory was short-lived once the museum director discovered the heist the next morning. The hunt was on.

The Big Break-In: Disabling the Security System

To pull off the heist of the century, the team of thieves knew disabling the museum’s state-of-the-art security system was critical. After months of planning, they were ready to put their plan into action.

Scoping out the Museum

Before the break-in, the crew scoped out the museum for weeks to learn the security guards’ rotations and the schedule of the night watchman, whom they nicknamed "Old Reliable" due to his predictable routine. They also studied the locations of security cameras and determined the blind spots. Two of the thieves posed as a couple to get a sense of the general layout of the museum without raising suspicion. Their reconnaissance allowed them to create a detailed map of the museum that proved invaluable on the night of the heist.

Cutting the power

Around 2 a.m., when the streets were empty, the crew pulled up to the museum in a stolen van and broke in through a side entrance. Then they cut the main power source, disabling the security system and unlocking the magnetic locks on the doors. However, they knew the backup generator would kick on within minutes, reactivating the security cameras and alarms. They had to work fast.

Dodging the guards

With the power out, the museum was pitch black. The group navigated the halls using flashlights with red lenses to avoid detection. According to their intel, Old Reliable would make his rounds on the hour, so they had to keep an eye on the time and hide in the designated blind spots to dodge the guards. The adrenaline was pumping as they stealthily made their way to the vault on the second floor that housed their target: a rare emerald and diamond necklace worth over $5 million.

Cracking the Vault

Breaking into the high-security vault posed the biggest challenge. One of the thieves, a safecracker by trade, got to work manipulating the dial. After a tense few minutes of trying to crack the combination, a satisfying click signalled that the massive door had unlocked. They grabbed the necklace, shoved it into a backpack, and hurried out of the vault.

Making a Clean Getaway

With the prize in hand, the crew stealthily navigated back through the museum, avoiding the guards once more. They exited out the side door and jumped into the van, speeding off into the night. Thanks to months of meticulous planning, disabling key parts of the security system, and a whole lot of luck, the thieves had achieved the heist of the century, robbing the museum of one of its most valuable pieces. Their daring feat would be talked about for years to come.

The Haul: Priceless Artefacts and Treasures

The crown jewels had finally been captured. After months of planning, the heist team successfully infiltrated the National Museum and made off with some of the most valuable artefacts in the country’s history. Their haul was priceless.

Paintings from the Dutch Golden Age

Several masterpiece paintings from the 17th century were taken, including works from famous Dutch artists like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Hals. Vermeer’s "The Concert" and Rembrandt’s "Storm on the Sea of Galilee" were among the most notable losses, valued at a combined $1 billion. These revolutionary works helped define the Dutch Golden Age of painting with their masterful use of light, colour, and illustration of everyday scenes.

Ancient Egyptian Mummies and Artefacts

The museum’s Egyptian antiquities collection was decimated. Multiple mummies, statues of pharaohs and queens, jewellery, pottery, and other relics spanning 3,000 years of history were stolen. The centrepiece was a 2,000-year-old mummy of the priest Hor-Aha in an ornate sarcophagus. These artefacts provided a glimpse into life in ancient Egypt and the artefacts' practises of mummification and burial rites. Their loss dealt a heavy blow to Egyptologists and historians worldwide.

The Marie Antoinette Necklace

A lavish 18th-century necklace that once belonged to the French queen Marie Antoinette was among the most recognisable items taken. Valued at over $50 million, the necklace features over 200 carats of diamonds arranged in a series of tassels and garlands. Its extravagance epitomised the frivolity of the French monarchy that led to the French Revolution. Marie Antoinette herself was infamously portrayed as an out-of-touch spendthrift, making this necklace a symbol of the social inequality that fueled the uprising against her husband, King Louis XVI.

Coins, Gems, and Other Treasures

The thieves also made off with a hodgepodge of other valuable museum pieces like ancient gold coins, gemstones, watches, and historic manuscripts. An original handwritten draught of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson was included in the haul. At every turn, the heist team’s sack of loot represented a veritable greatest hits of both artistic and cultural treasures of immense historical importance. Their loss leaves a giant hole in humanity's shared heritage and the world's ability to understand history through its hit artefacts, hit licence artefacts, and licence artefacts.

The full scope of what was stolen may never be known. But one thing is for certain: the total value of lost artefacts numbers in the billions and represents an irreplaceable loss of human creativity, culture, and history.

The Aftermath: How They Almost Got Away With It

The aftermath of the heist was filled with close calls and near misses as the thieves attempted to cover their tracks and authorities searched for clues. For a while, it seemed they just might get away with their brazen crime.

Destroying the Evidence

Immediately following the heist, the thieves destroyed any evidence that could tie them to the museum. They wiped down the van for fingerprints and burned the clothes they wore during the robbery. The van used in the crime was then abandoned in a nearby park with the licence plates removed.

Laying Low

The men kept an extremely low profile following the heist, avoiding lavish spending or displays of newfound wealth. They did not contact friends or family and stayed hidden to avoid detection. For several months, the thieves were ghosts.

Following false leads

While the thieves were in hiding, the police investigation initially focused on local gangs and other criminal organisations. Without any strong leads, the authorities chased down false clues and dead ends. Valuable time and resources were wasted tracking red herrings.

Getting Greedy

After a few months of silence, the thieves got greedy and impatient. They hired a shady lawyer to help them quietly sell some of the stolen goods to underground collectors. The attorney betrayed them, stealing several valuable paintings and alerting the authorities that the museum thieves were looking to offload stolen goods.

Closing In

With new leads to follow, law enforcement aggressively pursued the case. Surveillance, wiretapping, and an extensive manhunt eventually led authorities to identify the five men responsible for the heist. After almost getting away with one of the biggest art thefts of the century, the thieves were arrested and sent to prison for their crimes. Their run-as-wanted men were over, foiled by greed and careless mistakes.

In the end, while the thieves took great pains to cover their tracks initially, time and human nature worked against them. After months of diligent police work, the law finally caught up to the men who robbed the National Museum. Justice, though sometimes slow, is often served.

Conclusion

So there you have it, the story of how five clever thieves pulled off the heist of the century under the cover of night. They spent years meticulously planning and preparing to rob the most secure building in the country, and in the end, they got away with hundreds of priceless artefacts and millions of dollars in loot. The perfect crime with a perfect ending—for the thieves at least. As for you, now you're left pondering how they did it and whether they'll ever face justice. But one thing's for sure: You'll never look at a museum the same way again. The thrill of the heist will stay with you, even if the stolen treasure remains at large.