ART THEFT

In the world of crime, it seems that nothing is more glamorous than the theft of highly prized works of art. Many art thefts occur each year, but it is rare to see one of the magnitude of yesterday's theft at the Paris Museum of Modern Art. According to the Associated Press story about the theft, parts of the museum's alarm system had been broken for two months,

"So with no alarm to worry about, a lone masked intruder entered the museum around 3:50 AM . . . The thief cut a padlock on a gate, then broke a sid window and climbed inside . . . The intruder later slipped back out, carrying the canvases and leaving behind empty frames. The whole thing took 15 minutes, a police official said." - ( Associated Press )

That takes some balls. The works that were stolen are very famous and are estimated to be worth around $123 million total. Interpol and collectors worldwide are on the look out for these works, in case they pop up for sale on the art black market.

The five paintings that were stolen. (Click images to enlarge)

Le Pigeon Aux Petits-Pois (The Pigeon with the Peas) - Pablo Picasso

La Pastorale (Pastoral) - Henri Matisse

La Femme a L'eventail (Woman with a Fan) - Amedeo Modigliani

L'olivier Pres de L'Estaque (Olive Trees Near Estaque) - Georges Braque

Nature Morte Aux Chandeliers (Still Life with Chandeliers) - Fernand Leger