Category: Theft

Stealing the Chessmen The Lewis Chessmen The Lewis Chessmen in Stornoway, Lewis are six of the original (known) 94 pieces of the Hoard found in Uig, Lewis in 1831. They are small (the tallest being only 10cm) chess pieces carved of walrus ivory and some of whale tooth. Why These Artifacts? While small in stature,…

There it sat; red leather shining under the amber glow of the book shop’s lights. Peering through the window from the street it is clear there aren’t any cameras in the room. From behind the dusty glass the books give off a dark red aura. This is a small antiquarian bookshop on the west coast.…

I never intended to steal a painting like this one. I have always said it would be too risky, too high-profile, too complicated, too likely to be caught. But when the payout is as extraordinary as this, and the mark is one of the most celebrated cultural icons of British history, how can a thief…

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