The Silver Lining: Coping with Theft, Vandalism, Deterioration, and Bad Press
Lynne Chaffinch
Art Theft Program Manager, Federal Bureau of Investigation

On St. Patrick's Day 1990, two men disguised as police officers broke into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, and stole 12 pieces of art valued at approximately $300 million. The paintings -- including works by Rembrandt, Degas, Manet, and Vermeer -- have never been recovered.

The illicit trade in art and cultural property has become a major category of international crime. This includes theft of individual works of art, illegal export of objects protected by international laws, pillaging of archaeological sites, and vandalism. Art crime is an international problem requiring cooperation at all levels of law enforcement. To aid in this endeavor, the FBI established the Art Theft Program to assist law enforcement agencies investigating these cases. A major component of the Art Theft Program is the National Stolen Art File, a computerized database of stolen art and cultural property as reported to the FBI by law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and internationally.

Every institution that maintains collections is at risk from theft. As public awareness increases regarding the museum's responsibility to manage its collections, the staff is under more rigorous requirements to protect the collections. Ms. Chaffinch will address the museum and library crime problem and the federal response with regard to investigation and prosecution of these cases. FBI case studies will be used to illustrate points made in the session. Guidelines for responding to an incident of art crime and procedures for reporting the theft to law enforcement officials will also be addressed. Session attendees will be provided recommendations for incorporating these procedures into their institutional emergency preparedness plan, including public relations concerns.