Economics of Robbing Banks

Significance Magazine has an article (PDF warning) about the economics of robbing banks.  It turns out they aren't very good.

The average US bank robbery nets considerably less: some $43303, compared to an average of $1589 for all commercial robberies.  (There is a sector low of $769 for robberies from convenience stores.)

via FlowingData

Art Theft: Just Buy It

The Art Newspaper has an article about an interesting tactic in art theft.  Instead of stealing it, buy it at auction and then pay with a stolen credit card.

via Illicit Cultural Property

$100 Million Painting Recovered

Al Jazeera has an article about the recovery of a Cezanne painting stolen in an armed robbery in 2008.

Art experts have suggested the robbers took advantage of low security at the Swiss museum without knowing about the paintings or how difficult it can be to sell such well-known stolen art works.

Followup: ARCA has a more detailed post with many links.

via JRM

Saint's Heart Stolen From Dublin Cathedral

The BBC are reporting that thieves in Ireland have stolen the patron saint of Dublin's heart from Dublin Cathedral.  The heart of Saint Laurence O'Toole was in a wooden box inside an iron cage.

Prison Van Ambush in UK

The BBC has an article about a gang that ambush a prison van and released one of the passengers.  I have seen this sort of thing many times on TV and in movies but didn't realise it happened in real life as well.

The article doesn't mention how they stopped the van but

West Mercia Police said three balaclava wearing men carrying sledgehammers, smashed the windscreen and driver's window of the prison escort van.

Digging into a Cash Machine

The BBC reports that a gang of thieves in Manchester built a hundred foot long tunnel into an ATM machine.

The passageway was about 4ft (1.2m) tall and had been fitted with lighting and roof supports.
...
Officers believe the people responsible could have spent up to six months digging the passageway.

Unfortunately

However, the thieves only escaped with about £6,000 - because the machine had not been re-filled after the New Year bank holiday.

Yahoo also have an article.

Failed Armed Robbery in Paris

The BBC has a summary of a failed armed robbery at a safe deposit centre in Paris.  One guard was kill in an explosion when the gang, who were well armed and dressed like police, tried to blow their way into the facility.

The Sydney Morning Herald also has a story.