Museum Heist

Think museum heists are good fodder for good movies but outdated and unrealistic in the modern world?

Tell that to the Ohashi Collection Kan museum, where a 100kg gold bar was stolen in broad daylight. It was worth over $2 million.

"We were very shocked … but of course this was a big block of gold, and there was no security," Kurake said. "I suppose they could have been a little more careful."

Um, yes, they could have been a little more careful. <boggle>

The problem for the robbers is now how to spend it without getting caught. Eveyone involved with precious metals knows it's been stolen and will be on the lookout for it. Realistically, what can they do? Even selling it gradually as scrap metal would raise suspicions. If they had refining and minting equipment perhaps they could try to make copies of common 1oz gold bars. But that's a lot of equipment and a lot harder to keep secret.

Still, I'm amused.