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See Also
See Again
© Getty Images/Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Instant ramen
- Authorities in Fayetteville, GA, reportedly reclaimed a haul of stolen ramen noodle packages worth roughly US$98,000. The collection was found in a 53-foot trailer parked at a local gas station.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Instant ramen
- According to sources, the trailer may have contained around 30,000 packs of noodles, valued at approximately US$2 each. Could these thieves be hungry college students?
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
An entire bridge
- In 2011, thieves in New Castle, PA managed to steal a colossal 50-foot, 40-ton steel bridge.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
An entire bridge
- According to reports, the individuals allegedly used a blowtorch to disconnect the beams so they could make away with the parts. The cost of the bridge replacement was estimated at US$100,000, while the culprits probably earned only a small portion of that amount by selling the scraps.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars
- Four stars have been stolen from the Walk of Fame, each weighing approximately 300 pounds. They were actors Gene Autry, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, and Kirk Douglas.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
A 3,000-lb bell
- In 2005, a Buddhist temple in Tacoma, WA, had its 12 ft tall copper bell and its intricately carved wooden frame stolen. Authorities still don't know how they did it!
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
3,000-lb bell
- Approximately one year later, though, an individual who had purchased the bell at auction returned it to its rightful place. The thief tried to sell the priceless object for much less than its value.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
More pumpkins than you’ll ever need
- In the days leading up to Halloween 2016, nearly 200 pumpkins were stolen from a family-run farm stand in New Jersey, estimated at a value of up to US$3,000.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Einstein's brain
- On April 18, 1955, following his death due to an aneurysm, the brain of the renowned scientific genius was taken without permission by the on-call pathologist at Princeton Hospital.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Einstein's brain
- Dr. Thomas Harvey performed an autopsy on Einstein's body, defying the scientist's wishes to have his brain remain intact within his skull during cremation. Instead, he preserved and divided the brain into more than 200 fragments, which can currently be observed in different museums.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
A battle tank
- In 1995, Shawn Nelson successfully infiltrated the San Diego National Guard base and managed to break into an M60A3 Patton tank using only a crowbar. The most intriguing aspect of this theft was that he managed to open three tanks without detection.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
A battle tank
- Nelson engaged in a destructive spree using a tank, causing extensive damage to various objects such as road signs, traffic lights, utility poles, fire hydrants, and even an RV. Police responded by shooting and fatally injuring him after approximately 23 minutes.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Dog poop
- In 2015, an individual in Des Moines attempted to steal a truck but encountered unexpected challenges. In a state of panic, he grabbed a bag from the truck's cargo area to avoid leaving empty-handed. But the bag actually contained dog feces, which had an estimated worth of US$1.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Toys
- In 2013, an Oregon woman’s trunk was robbed of US$500 worth of adult toys! She was allegedly gathering the toys for a bachelorette party—so she says.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Manholes
- Around 1990, approximately 200 manholes were removed in Los Angeles. These 150-pound disks are frequently stolen, possibly for resale as scrap. A similar incident occurred in Long Beach in 2008. The stolen covers are sold for around US$10 each, but the cost to replace one can reach up to US$500!
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
The Oscars goes to...
- In the year 2000, a group stole 55 Academy Awards from a loading dock in a Los Angeles suburb shortly before the 72nd Academy Awards event.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
The Oscars goes to...
- Several days later, Willie Fulgear came across 52 of those items during his search in a dumpster. As a reward, he received US$50,000 and was granted two seats at the ceremony for reporting his discovery.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Tastee cheese
- In 2016, an 18-year-old from New Jersey was charged with stealing canned Jamaican cheese spread worth over US$160,000. The bail set for him was $150,000, which clearly indicates the seriousness of his crime in the dairy industry...
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Bull semen
- In Turlock, CA, in 2016, thieves stole approximately US$50,000 worth of valuable bull semen from a truck.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Bull semen
- Almost 3,500 units of premium bull sperm were stolen, representing several months of efforts by a bull sperm collector. This quantity can impregnate nearly 1000 cows.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
An entire house
- In February 2018, a couple from Houston contacted the authorities to report the theft of their vacation home in Madisonville.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
An entire house
- According to subsequent reports, the prebuilt residence, featuring one bedroom and one bathroom, was seized by a company asserting that the previous owner failed to fully settle the outstanding balance on the property purchase.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Buttons
- In 1992, a woman was arrested under suspicion of swiping over US$300 worth of buttons from clothes in a Miami department store. To add to the bizarre situation, it was later revealed that the woman was the wife of Manuel Noriega, the Panamanian dictator who was concurrently facing trial for cocaine trafficking.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
An enormous inflatable gorilla
- A car dealership in Simi Valley, CA, reported the theft of their 350-pound, 12-foot-tall inflatable gorilla in 2010. It seems the thieves underestimated the worth of the giant inflatable as they thoughtlessly snatched it from the roof, leaving the car dealership down US$10,000.
© iStock
24 / 31 Fotos
594 pigs
- In 2011, a Minnesota farm experienced a theft where 594 pigs, valued at over US$100,000, were taken. The pig theft, common at the time, allegedly occurred due to the spike in pork prices.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- In a remarkable event that took place in the United States, the 102-story Art Deco skyscraper worth US$1.89 billion was stolen.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- In December 2008, the ownership deed of the landmark building was transferred by the New York Daily News using a forged notary stamp in less than 90 minutes.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- They named the fake buyer "Nelots Properties," which is "stolen" spelled backwards. They also listed Fay Wray, the star of the original 'King Kong,' as a witness.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- The journalists aimed to demonstrate a flaw in the city's property transaction protocol, highlighting that clerks were not obligated to verify information according to the law.
© iStock
29 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- The next day, they returned it. Nevertheless, their robbery has become renowned as one of the most clever and harmless thefts ever recorded in history.
See also: The fascinating story of how the World Cup trophy was stolen
© iStock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images/Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Instant ramen
- Authorities in Fayetteville, GA, reportedly reclaimed a haul of stolen ramen noodle packages worth roughly US$98,000. The collection was found in a 53-foot trailer parked at a local gas station.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Instant ramen
- According to sources, the trailer may have contained around 30,000 packs of noodles, valued at approximately US$2 each. Could these thieves be hungry college students?
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
An entire bridge
- In 2011, thieves in New Castle, PA managed to steal a colossal 50-foot, 40-ton steel bridge.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
An entire bridge
- According to reports, the individuals allegedly used a blowtorch to disconnect the beams so they could make away with the parts. The cost of the bridge replacement was estimated at US$100,000, while the culprits probably earned only a small portion of that amount by selling the scraps.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars
- Four stars have been stolen from the Walk of Fame, each weighing approximately 300 pounds. They were actors Gene Autry, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, and Kirk Douglas.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
A 3,000-lb bell
- In 2005, a Buddhist temple in Tacoma, WA, had its 12 ft tall copper bell and its intricately carved wooden frame stolen. Authorities still don't know how they did it!
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
3,000-lb bell
- Approximately one year later, though, an individual who had purchased the bell at auction returned it to its rightful place. The thief tried to sell the priceless object for much less than its value.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
More pumpkins than you’ll ever need
- In the days leading up to Halloween 2016, nearly 200 pumpkins were stolen from a family-run farm stand in New Jersey, estimated at a value of up to US$3,000.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Einstein's brain
- On April 18, 1955, following his death due to an aneurysm, the brain of the renowned scientific genius was taken without permission by the on-call pathologist at Princeton Hospital.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Einstein's brain
- Dr. Thomas Harvey performed an autopsy on Einstein's body, defying the scientist's wishes to have his brain remain intact within his skull during cremation. Instead, he preserved and divided the brain into more than 200 fragments, which can currently be observed in different museums.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
A battle tank
- In 1995, Shawn Nelson successfully infiltrated the San Diego National Guard base and managed to break into an M60A3 Patton tank using only a crowbar. The most intriguing aspect of this theft was that he managed to open three tanks without detection.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
A battle tank
- Nelson engaged in a destructive spree using a tank, causing extensive damage to various objects such as road signs, traffic lights, utility poles, fire hydrants, and even an RV. Police responded by shooting and fatally injuring him after approximately 23 minutes.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Dog poop
- In 2015, an individual in Des Moines attempted to steal a truck but encountered unexpected challenges. In a state of panic, he grabbed a bag from the truck's cargo area to avoid leaving empty-handed. But the bag actually contained dog feces, which had an estimated worth of US$1.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Toys
- In 2013, an Oregon woman’s trunk was robbed of US$500 worth of adult toys! She was allegedly gathering the toys for a bachelorette party—so she says.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Manholes
- Around 1990, approximately 200 manholes were removed in Los Angeles. These 150-pound disks are frequently stolen, possibly for resale as scrap. A similar incident occurred in Long Beach in 2008. The stolen covers are sold for around US$10 each, but the cost to replace one can reach up to US$500!
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
The Oscars goes to...
- In the year 2000, a group stole 55 Academy Awards from a loading dock in a Los Angeles suburb shortly before the 72nd Academy Awards event.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
The Oscars goes to...
- Several days later, Willie Fulgear came across 52 of those items during his search in a dumpster. As a reward, he received US$50,000 and was granted two seats at the ceremony for reporting his discovery.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Tastee cheese
- In 2016, an 18-year-old from New Jersey was charged with stealing canned Jamaican cheese spread worth over US$160,000. The bail set for him was $150,000, which clearly indicates the seriousness of his crime in the dairy industry...
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Bull semen
- In Turlock, CA, in 2016, thieves stole approximately US$50,000 worth of valuable bull semen from a truck.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Bull semen
- Almost 3,500 units of premium bull sperm were stolen, representing several months of efforts by a bull sperm collector. This quantity can impregnate nearly 1000 cows.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
An entire house
- In February 2018, a couple from Houston contacted the authorities to report the theft of their vacation home in Madisonville.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
An entire house
- According to subsequent reports, the prebuilt residence, featuring one bedroom and one bathroom, was seized by a company asserting that the previous owner failed to fully settle the outstanding balance on the property purchase.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Buttons
- In 1992, a woman was arrested under suspicion of swiping over US$300 worth of buttons from clothes in a Miami department store. To add to the bizarre situation, it was later revealed that the woman was the wife of Manuel Noriega, the Panamanian dictator who was concurrently facing trial for cocaine trafficking.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
An enormous inflatable gorilla
- A car dealership in Simi Valley, CA, reported the theft of their 350-pound, 12-foot-tall inflatable gorilla in 2010. It seems the thieves underestimated the worth of the giant inflatable as they thoughtlessly snatched it from the roof, leaving the car dealership down US$10,000.
© iStock
24 / 31 Fotos
594 pigs
- In 2011, a Minnesota farm experienced a theft where 594 pigs, valued at over US$100,000, were taken. The pig theft, common at the time, allegedly occurred due to the spike in pork prices.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- In a remarkable event that took place in the United States, the 102-story Art Deco skyscraper worth US$1.89 billion was stolen.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- In December 2008, the ownership deed of the landmark building was transferred by the New York Daily News using a forged notary stamp in less than 90 minutes.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- They named the fake buyer "Nelots Properties," which is "stolen" spelled backwards. They also listed Fay Wray, the star of the original 'King Kong,' as a witness.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- The journalists aimed to demonstrate a flaw in the city's property transaction protocol, highlighting that clerks were not obligated to verify information according to the law.
© iStock
29 / 31 Fotos
Empire State Building
- The next day, they returned it. Nevertheless, their robbery has become renowned as one of the most clever and harmless thefts ever recorded in history.
See also: The fascinating story of how the World Cup trophy was stolen
© iStock
30 / 31 Fotos
The most unbelievable things stolen in the United States
From the brain of Einstein to the Empire State Building
© Shutterstock/iStock
There have been several remarkable heists in history, where items such as precious jewels, priceless paintings, and incomprehensible amounts of cash were stolen. However, there are also peculiar criminals who set their sights on treasures that are a little more... unusual.
From the strangely specific to the utterly inexplicable, check out this gallery to see some of the weirdest things people have ever stolen in America.
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