The Al Thani Collection
In January 2018, two pieces of jewelry from the collection of Sheikh Hamad bin Al Thani of Qatar were stolen in broad daylight from a public exhibition display at Venice's Palazzo Ducale. One was a a set of diamond earrings featuring 30-carat centerpieces, the other a massive brooch glittering with rubies, pearls, and a 10-carat flawless diamond. Whoosh. So how were these clearly genius criminal masterminds able to pull it off? Um, they literally just opened the display case and took them. Well, one did, while the other kept watch. Apparently the alarm didn't go off until a full minute had passed, and by then they had escaped into the throngs of tourists outside. Eventually, suspects were arrested, including a member of the notorious "Pink Panther" gang of international jewel thieves. Wonder if they gave themselves that name?
[Photo via @venividivictussum]