The 13 paintings stolen during a heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum have never been recovered, despite extensive efforts to find them and a reward associated with the case.
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This week marks 34 years since 13 works were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The unsolved case still haunts Boston to this day, but even as the decades pass, investigators have not given up on locating the paintings and solving the mystery.
It was the largest art heist in the world.
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Anthony Amore, the director of the museum’s security, said tips continue to pour in about the case, with people constantly reporting possible sightings of the stolen works. He said they got roughly 20 tips in the last year from people who thought they spotted the missing art in Zillow listings.
“I think it’s incredibly unlikely they’re hiding in plain sight,” Amore said.
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He said the $10 million private reward that the museum is offering for information that leads to the paintings still stands and he hopes to pay it soon. He said the time that has passed since the heist could actually turn out to work in their favor.
“These things are recovered very often after a number of decades because a scary person involved dies or isn’t scary anymore,” Amore said.
A key witness at the center of the case passed away last month. Richard Abath, the former guard who opened the door for the thieves responsible for the heist, died after a long illness. He maintained his innocence but was constantly questioned by investigators who thought the heist was an inside job.
Former assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Fisher spent years investigating the case. He said deaths like that could be a loss for the investigation, but could also lead to a break in the case.
“Whenever that happens, there is hope that somebody who was maybe holding back some information that would implicate a loved one, a family member or a criminal associate would then come forward,” Fisher said.
Back at the museum, officials said they are no longer concerned with prosecution. Their only goal is to fill the missing frames with the art that was taken.
“Where are they right now? The people who know where they are right now, I believe, are still with us. Somebody has information.” Amore said.
All tips can remain anonymous and can be reported to the Gardner Museum directly at this link.
