Art theft is usually for the purpose of resale or for ransom (sometimes called artnapping). Stolen art is sometimes used by criminals as collateral to secure loans. Only a small percentage of stolen art is recovered—estimates range from 5 to 10%. This means that little is known about the scope and characteristics of art theft.
Read more about Art Theft: Individual Theft, Prevention in Museums, Recovery, State Theft, Wartime Looting and Misappropriation By Museums, Famous Cases of Art Theft, Notable Unrecovered Works, Fictional Art Theft
Famous quotes containing the words art and/or theft:
“In art economy is always beauty.”
—Henry James (1843–1916)
“Men are not therefore put to death, or punished for that their theft proceedeth from election; but because it was noxious and contrary to men’s preservation, and the punishment conducing to the preservation of the rest, inasmuch as to punish those that do voluntary hurt, and none else, frameth and maketh men’s wills such as men would have them.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1579–1688)