Dashing rogues? No, art thieves are boring goons

The recovery of yet another stolen picture by Edvard Munch is a reminder of just how seedy and unromantic art theft has become

Related: Stolen Edvard Munch artwork recovered after seven years

Art theft is ugly. People love to picture art thieves as dashing cat burglars who look like George Clooney and have a raffish charm that makes their crimes forgivable. In reality, they are mostly gangsters and professional criminals who have no feelings at all about the masterpieces they steal to use as collateral in underworld deals or with hopes of secret sales to billionaires. They are boring idiots. It is the art they prey on that is interesting and bohemian.

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