Twenty-five years have passed since 13 priceless works of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in what has now become one of Boston's most enduring and frustrating mysteries. Investigative reporter, Stephen Kurkjian, has been covering the Gardner Theft case for nearly 20 of those years. In his 2015 book, Master Thieves: The Boston Gangsters Who Pulled Off the World's Greatest Art Heist, Kurkjian presents his research with the straightforward and objective points of a seasoned journalist.
Space is given to the current theory maintained by the FBI, which was alluded to in a 2013 press conference. They know the identities of the thieves (who are both now deceased), and have traced the path of the stolen works through organized crime channels from Maine, Connecticut and Philadelphia. Much attention is given to Robert Gentile, one of the last men alive who may know the whereabouts of the Gardner masterpieces.
Stephen Kurkjian, however, also offers an alternate theory which he suggests holds a strong element the FBI's thesis does not: a motive. Kurkjian writes of an anonymous source that told him the theft was committed by low-level figure Robert Donati, who had hoped to use the stolen works as leverage in negotiating the release of his boss, Vincent Ferrara. This thought was echoed by notorious art thief, Myles Connor, who wrote a similar twist in his autobiography, The Art of the Heist.
Of particular interest early-on in the book is the notation that an eerily similar event to the Gardner Heist occurred two months prior at the nearby Museum of Fine Arts, when two men claiming to be Boston Police Officers rang the intercom after midnight looking for admittance. Per protocol, the MFA guard did not let them in and left briefly to get supervisor approval, but the two men were gone when he returned.
Many of the familiar names associated with the case are given pause in the text, including David Turner, George Reissfelder, Tom Mashberg, William Youngworth, Richard Abath, Whitey Bulger, Myles Connor, Lyle Grindle, Robert Guarente, David Houghton, Martin Leppo, Robert Luisi, Carmello Merlino, Carmen Ortiz, Charles Pappas, Jurek "Rocky" Rokoszynski, Ralph and Stephen Rossetti, Louis Royce and Frank Salemme.
The 13 stolen works, including masterpieces by Vermeer, Rembrandt and Degas remain the subjects of the largest property theft in history… valued at upwards of $500 million. Their recovery is essential in restoring the legacy of Isabella Stewart Gardner, who intended her collection, in it's entirety, to be enjoyed by the public forever. The 221 pages offer many valid and thoughtful points… and as Kurkjian concludes, his "hope is that this book will hasten their return."
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Concert. Vermeer: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Rick Abath: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Rick Abath: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Police Sketches: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Anne Hawley: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Carmello Merlino: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
David Turner: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
John Kerry and George Reissfelder: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
William Youngworth: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Myles Connor: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Tom Mashberg: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Storm on the Sea of Galilee. Rembrandt: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Anne Hawley: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Anthony Amore, Richard Deslauriers and Geoff Kelly: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Rembrandt: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Anthony Amore: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Robert Gentile: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
search of Robert Gentile's yard: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Robert Gentile's shed with false floor: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
The Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Rick Abath: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
unauthorized person the night before the Gardner Museum Heist: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Stephen Kurkjian: Master Thieves. Stephen Kurkjian
Documentary about the 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist
Brief Review by Travis Simpkins
Directed by Rebecca Dreyfus, Stolen (2005) is a documentary that focuses on the March 18, 1990 heist at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum… during which two thieves, disguised as Boston police officers, gained access to the museum, tied-up the security guards and stole 13 valuable works of art including masterpieces by Vermeer and Rembrandt. The case remains unsolved 25 years later, and is the largest property theft in history, with the missing works valued at $500 Million. In addition to describing the robbery, the film focuses on the efforts of the late detective Harold Smith and others, whose obsession with finding the stolen masterworks is contagious. Being 10 years old, some parts of the film are outdated at this point, particularly in regard to James "Whitey" Bulger having had some involvement (not likely)… at the time of filming, Bulger was still a long-elusive fugitive and an easy target for speculation. Entertaining insights are offered by well-known figures in the Art Crime world, including Boston Herald reporter Tom Mashberg, thieves William Youngworth and Myles Connor, Scotland Yard's Dick Ellis and former-thief Paul "Turbo" Hendry. Various authors give their thoughts as well, such as Tracy Chevalier, Anthony Bailey, Douglass Shand-Tucci, Susan Vreeland and Katherine Weber. Of particular interest, are the poignant sentiments that come courtesy of a teary-eyed long-time Gardner Museum Gallery Attendant, Frank DiMaria. By no means a definitive source on the subject, the film does however provide an enjoyable 90-minute respite involving one of the most compelling mysteries of the art world.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
The Concert by Vermeer: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Frank DiMaria, Gallery Attendant: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's Stolen Art: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Harold Smith: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
$5 Million Reward: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Tom Mashberg: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Tom Mashberg, Boston Herald: "We've Seen It!": Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Anthony Bailey: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Frank DiMaria, Gallery Attendant: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Greg Smith: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Katherine Weber: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Myles Connor: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Myles Connor: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Greg and Harold Smith: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Eli Kirtz, former Gardner Museum Security Guard: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Dick Ellis: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Myles Connor: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Paul "Turbo" Hendry: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Paul "Turbo" Hendry: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Tracy Chevalier: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Tom Mashberg: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
William Youngworth: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Frank DiMaria, Gallery Attendant: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Douglass Shand-Tucci: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Michael Sullivan: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
FBI Special Agent Charles Prouty: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Harold Smith: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Harold Smith and Paul "Turbo" Hendry: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Paul "Turbo" Hendry: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
William Youngworth: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
William Youngworth: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Tracy Chevalier: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
James "Whitey" Bulger: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Susan Vreeland: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
William Youngworth and Harold Smith: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Ron Gollobin: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Paul "Turbo" Hendry: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Harold Smith: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
Frank DiMaria, Gallery Attendant: Stolen. 2005 Documentary
