Stealing the show: a history of art and crime in six thefts

Abstract

When he retired as the chief security officer of New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Barelli had spent the better part of forty years responsible not only for one of the richest treasure troves on the planet, but the museum's staff, the millions of visitors, as well as American presidents, royalty, and heads of state from around the world. Here he shares his experiences of the crimes that occurred on his watch, taking readers behind the scenes at the Met. Focusing on six thefts but filled with countless stories that span the late 1970s through the 21st century, Barelli shows how museum personnel with local and sometimes Federal Agents opened investigations, caught the thief, and (in some cases) recovered the artwork. -- adapted from jacket

Contents

Introduction -- Be my valentine -- A king's ransom -- Celtic gold trail and the road to recovery -- So you want to be an art thief -- The magic carpet ride -- Opportunity strikes -- The art of protecting heads of state -- A piece of the Met -- Epilogue.