The thing is — archive. The most scandalous unsolved theft in the USSR and Russia
MOSCOW, January 8 — RIA Novosti, Victor Zvantsev. Some thieves are so carefully plan the crime, that does not leave anything, no matter whether we are talking about an armed robbery of collectors or the theft of paintings from the Hermitage.
Preparing for the “case” can take several months, and the hijack last for a couple of minutes. However, as the investigators say, find all, just not all at once. RIA Novosti tells about the heists, while remaining undisclosed.
Theft from the Hermitage
A painting by French artist Jean Gerome, “pool in a harem” worth half a million Euro was stolen from the Hermitage in March 2001. The offender took advantage of the fact that the hall was not the tour guides, and directly from the frame cut the canvas. When the loss was discovered, all the entrances to the Museum was blocked off, visitors were searched, but the robber was not found.
Investigators are considering several versions. One — the theft could be part of the Museum staff, on the other — the robbery was committed by a mentally ill person. Five years later, the picture was thrown into the reception of the Communist party, but in very bad condition. The restorers took a lot of time and effort to recover the painting. Three years later, in December 2009, “pool in a harem” has returned to his former place, but the kidnapper is still not found.
Plaque near Tula
On the morning of 21 February 2009, dressed in the uniform of the traffic police people stopped a car “Toyota Prado” on the highway “don”. When the SUV slowed down, it was blocked by two cars, out of which popped a few armed men in masks and camouflage. Threatening with Kalashnikov rifles, they put the driver and the passenger in handcuffs, took away from salon a bag with money and disappeared.
Later it turned out that the jeep was transported to Moscow Bank the cash collected in regional offices, 43 million rubles. The faces of the assailants, the victims could not see, but well remember the car brands, which they disappeared. Security officials have put forward several versions. The criminals took investigators six the surrounding areas, however, the success of the search was not successful.