The Isabella Stewart Gardner museum heist of 1990 has dogged insurance sleuths and the FBI for more than two decades now.
Art worth 500 million dollars was stolen in the brazen heist. Several documentaries were produced, one of which detailed an investigator's search that led him all the way to Ireland.
But the reality of the 23 year old search is that the thieves were and still are somewhere in America.
The statute of limitations on the theft has expired, which is raising some hopes that someone will now come forward with further information.
What has been discovered so far, is that the FBI and other investigating authorities believe they know who planned and executed the heist.
This has prompted the FBI to issue a statement to the alleged perpetrators of the heist to return the art in lieu of the agency dropping any charge or prosecution attempts. The museum has also raised a 5 million reward, which should provide an incentive.
The FBI is also appealing to the public to come forward with any information on the whereabouts of the art. They are asking that people look at the stolen art and try to remember if they have seen in a private home or elsewhere.
The FBI now says that the artworks had been brought to Philadelphia's environs and that from there it was offered to private buyers by the thieves. The thieves apparently are part of a criminal organization based in the Mid-Atlantic states and New England.
Among the stolen paintings were works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Degas and Manet.
Source: NBC 3.20.13
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