Case · Theft
The 1994 Theft of The Scream (Oslo)
Stolen during the Lillehammer Olympics
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Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
As the world watched the 1994 Winter Olympics, thieves propped a ladder against the National Gallery in Oslo and stole 'The Scream', leaving a note: 'Thanks for the poor security.'
The two intruders were in and out in under a minute, leaving behind only their ladder and a mocking note. A ransom demand followed, which Norway refused.
British and Norwegian police recovered the painting months later in a sting operation. A decade on, a different version of 'The Scream' would be stolen from the Munch Museum — cementing the image's status as a magnet for thieves.