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It has been said that life imitates art, but there's more than a few times that history's shown real life kicks art's ass. Danny Ocean might have had some big plans in his movies, but he can't hold a candle to some of history's more daring real-life thieves. #7.
Cool Hand Vincenzo
In 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia had only worked at the esteemed Louvre Museum for one month when the young Italian first encountered the Mona Lisa. Feeling that the famed painting belonged back in its native Italy, Vincenzo spent the next three weeks researching. He studied the museum's entrances, exits, the locks and he even profiled the security guards and found that their "lazy work habits" were perfectly suited to his purposes. After a careful period of casing the joint and its inhabitants, on August 21, 1911, he pulled off what was referred to at the time as the crime of the century.
The Plan: He knew that the museum would be closed Monday morning for repairs, and after hiding inside the museum the whole night, Vincenzo donned a smock and swept the Mona Lisa off her feet with one furl of his fabric. Seeing at least 10 people working nearby and being illegally in the possession of the most famous piece of art known to the planet might weaken the resolve of lesser men, but Vincenzo kept his cool. He moved down a nearby stairway, probably humming the Mission: Impossible theme to himself, and freed Mona from her frame. When the downstairs exit was locked, Vincenzo thinking either on his feet or like a caveman ripped the doorknob off the door and convinced a nearby plumber that it was stolen. A reminder: The dude with the Mona Lisa on his person was making a fuss to a plumber about a stolen doorknob. The plumber let him out and bam: The crime was complete.
Vincenzo expected a hero's welcome back in Italy and a hefty reward for the painting, but Florence's Uffizi Gallery just fluffed his balls long enough to authenticate the painting and put the poor dumb sap under arrest. Vincenzo was sentenced to jail, but served minimal time as the patriotism of his act was considered a "mitigating factor." Remember that the next time you appear in traffic court. You weren't speeding. You were speeding for America.
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Where's the Lufthansa heist in 1978, that was the largest amount of money stolen on U.S soil, 5 million dollars. Plus it was in Goodfellas which was based on a true story. Great article thought
S Y S T E M O F S E D U C T I O N
dhot you know what!
S Y S T E M O F S E D U C T I O N
For a greatest hits article this has few comments.
Nevermind, I can swear LOL.
I hate it when there is so many pages, also, I hate that Cracked lets the writers swear, but not us.
Fuck!
You know there's a "show profanity" button...right?
I can see his "f**k!" without clicking the show profanity button. Why is this so?
I can see it too! What the f**k?
cool article
That's AZTEC you idiot. And is not a calendar.
douchebag says what?
Eh?
I love when idiots try to correct mistakes that haven't been made.
No... that crown of jewels is from f**king England. See what happens when you TRY to misunderstand something?
I'm reading the book Flawless about Antwerp diamond heist. Doesn't it deserve a mention here?
I can't see how any of this puts the Ocean's Eleven to shame. None of this involves the same level of preparation, skill and talents. Plus, some of them just had luck.
I agree
How can George Washington have a grandson? He didn't have any children.
You're either an idiot, or can't read. It says great grandnephew. I.e. the great grandson of George Washington's Brother/Sister
#4 has a Kansas album cover as a picture. Awesome.
You're a f**king idiot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Steuart_Curry
Philistine.
"the enormous Olmec head Bart Simpson got from Mr. Burns in Season 2"
I believe you're thinking of señor Xtapolapocetl.
Great grandson of President Washington? He had children?
Technically no, but civilly yes. He married Martha Custis, who had two children from her previous marriage. He raised them, although he didn't have any children with Martha himself.
However, Lewis William Washington wasn't his great grandson. He was his great grandnephew.
should read up on The Yellow Kid, a con artist who sold the Eiffel tower to scrap metal companies impersonating a government official and making a ton of money. also conned AL Capone among many others.
all though the value amount wasn't the same as portrayed in O 11. They were super badass... I can't believe this douche bag Blood got number 1 when he destroyed the very contents he was stealing?? WAR LITTLE MAC!!!
and didn't even get away with it. That put oceans 11 to shame?
I think it's #1 for three reasons.
1- He put the Sovereign's Orb next to his junk in the getaway attempt.
2- He was pardoned with perks.
3- He was f**king Irish, hahahaha.
#1 is totally false!
The article was funny, the research was impressive, but I can't see how any of these put Oceans Eleven to shame.
what a fap
Lewis William Washington was George Washington's great grant nephew, not great grandson. George Washington did not father any children that history is aware of. Maybe he pulled a Thomas Jefferson or two, but we shall never know.
actually he did just that... apparently our FORE FATHERS had a thing for the purple onion...