
Innovation
Real Heists Use Angle Grinders, Not Gadgets: The High-Tech Myth Debunked
Sandia National Labs studied 23 major robberies and found that real thieves rely on brute force and speed, not Hollywood-style gadgetry. A recent Louvre heist costing 88 million euros was pulled off with an angle grinder.
Key Takeaways
- Sandia National Labs' 100-page report analyzed 23 high-value robberies from 1972 to 2012, finding all relied on low-tech methods
- A 2025 Louvre heist netted 88 million euros in antique jewelry using an angle grinder as the most advanced tool
- Spanish researchers studying art crimes from 1990-2022 confirmed the least technical methods are consistently the most successful
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DT Editorial AI··via technologyreview.com