The cunning and strategy of this criminal gang allowed them to steal a Picasso in three minutes.
In Argentina and around the world they occurred incredible robberies that remained in popular memory despite the years that have passed. This may be due to the significant amount of loot, the cunning of the criminals to circumvent security measures and the police, or the main location of the robbery.
This is the case of one of the most important robberies in the history of Brazilwhen a criminal gang took only three minutes to steal priceless works from the Saint Paul Museum of Art. These were the facts of one of the most meticulous and coldly calculated robberies in the region.
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The robbery of the San Pablo Art Museum
The robbery at the San Pablo Museum of Art occurred on December 20, 2007. At five in the morning, a group of at least three thieves took advantage of the changing of guards and the lack of alarms to enter the museum. They used a hydraulic jack to force the main door and went up to the second floor, where they broke two glass doors to steal two valuable works: “The Portrait of Suzanne Bloch by Pablo Picasso and “The Coffee Labrador” by Cándido Portinari.
The robbery It lasted just three minutes. and was filmed by the museum’s security cameras, although the images were unclear due to the lack of infrared vision.
The theft was discovered at seven in the morning and Brazilian police began an exhaustive investigation. It was suspected that the thieves intended to ask for a ransom for the workssince they were practically unsaleable on the black market due to their fame and historical value. Two months later, on December 27, the police captured a suspect who led them to the discovery of the works in a house in the Sao Paulo metropolitan region.
What happened to criminals and stolen works
After an intense investigation that lasted several months, the police managed to dismantle the gang responsible for the robbery. The criminals, an organized group with a history of similar crimes, were arrested in a joint operation between the Brazilian security forces and other countries in the region. The authorities highlighted the international cooperationl as key to the success of the operation.
As for the stolen works, the majority was recovered in good condition, although some pieces were damaged minors due to improper handling during transportation. The same were returned to the MASPwhere they are now exhibited with greater security measures, as a reminder of the fragility and value of cultural heritage.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
