Myles Connor, an experienced career criminal, stole Rembrandt's "Portrait of Elsbeth van Rijn" from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston on April 14, 1975, using the painting as leverage in another crime. In his new book "The Rembrandt Heist," Anthony Amore—director of security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum—analyzes Connor's motivations and methods, presenting five key takeaways from the heist.
This article matters because it offers rare insight into the psychology and tactics of a prolific art thief who robbed more than 30 museums, challenging common assumptions about art crime. Amore's perspective as a leading security expert at a museum still reeling from its own unsolved 1990 theft adds authority, while Connor's unusual honor code and personal motivations provide a nuanced portrait that could inform how institutions protect against future heists.