Pulling off a heist isn’t as easy as it seems in the movies. It often takes thieves years of careful planning to get past armed guards and high-tech smart alarm systems to successfully escape with their ill-gotten gains, but who pulled off the biggest heist in history, and how much would their loot be worth today?

We’ve pulled together a list of some of the most audacious robberies, burglaries and heists to find out. We’ve also taken a look at the biggest celebrity robberies, what was stolen, how much it cost them, and the areas losing the most cash to burglaries.

1 - The Central Bank of Iraq Robbery 

Value at the time: ~$1 billion/£580 million

Current value: ~£1.78 billion/£1.32 billion

While many famous robberies involve stealth and masks, the Central Bank of Iraq heist in 2003 remains the largest bank robbery in history because of its sheer scale.

This famous heist was remarkably low-tech. Shortly before the US-led invasion, an estimated $1 billion in cash was removed from the vaults not by career criminals, but by order of the state. In the early hours of the morning, Saddam Hussein’s son, Qusay, presented a handwritten note to the bank governor claiming the money needed to be moved to protect it from "foreign aggression."

Over the next several hours, a team used three tractor-trailers to haul away nearly $900 million in $100 bills and an additional $100 million in euros. US forces later recovered roughly $650 million hidden in the walls of one of the Hussein palaces; hundreds of millions remain unaccounted for to this day.

2 - Isabella Stewart Gardner Heist

Value at the time: $500 million/£281 million

Current value: $1.25 billion/£942 million

The 1990 raid on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is arguably the most famous heist in the art world. Over 30 years later, the empty frames still hanging on the museum walls serve as a constant reminder of one of the most daring and successful robberies ever executed.

In the early hours, two men dressed as police officers gained entry by claiming they were responding to a disturbance. After handcuffing the security guards, the thieves spent 81 minutes roaming the galleries. They made off with 13 priceless works of art, including pieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Degas.

It’s a truly famous robbery because of the immense value and rarity of the stolen items, estimated at over $500 million. Despite a $10 million reward and an intensive FBI investigation, not a single piece of art has been recovered, and no arrests have ever been made. It remains the largest private property theft in history.

3 - The Dresden Art Jewellery Heist

Value at the time: €113 million/£98 million

Current value: €139 million/£120 million

In November 2019, the Residenzschloss in Germany was the target of a precision-planned robbery, known as the Dresden Art Jewellery Heist. It stands as one of the most famous robberies in modern history due to the audacity of the thieves and the priceless nature of the loot.  Despite the museum’s high-tech reputation, the perpetrators successfully infiltrated the "Green Vault," which houses Europe's largest collection of royal treasures.

This wasn't just one of the world's biggest robberies; it was a demonstration of criminal coordination. The thieves first set fire to a nearby electrical panel to disable streetlights, before smashing through reinforced-glass display cases with axes. In less than five minutes, they escaped with $120 million worth of 18th-century diamond jewellery, including the 49-carat Dresden White Diamond.

4 - Knightsbridge Security Deposit Robbery

Value at the time: £40-£60 million

Current value: £147 million

The 1987 Knightsbridge Security Deposit robbery is famous for two key reasons: the value of the haul and the ego of its mastermind, Valerio Viccei. It began with a simple ruse; Viccei and an accomplice entered the Knightsbridge Safe Deposit Centre posing as wealthy customers looking to rent a box. They discretely hung a "closed" sign on the front door to prevent interruptions. Once inside the vault, they pulled out handguns and subdued the manager and guards. They then let in their accomplices and spent hours smashing open safe deposit boxes.

The team made off with an estimated £60 million in cash, jewellery, and bonds. Viccei was eventually caught because of a single bloody fingerprint found at the scene, after he returned to England from South America specifically to retrieve his beloved Ferrari.

5 - Brink’s-Mat Robbery

Value at the time: £26 million

Current value: £100 million

The 1983 Brink’s-Mat heist fundamentally changed how the world viewed high-level security. What started as a typical warehouse raid turned into the "crime of the century", when the perpetrators discovered a haul far beyond what they had expected.

The heist targeted a warehouse at Heathrow International Trading Estate. Six-armed men gained entry with the help of a security guard who was an "insider." They expected to find around £3 million in cash; instead, they found three tonnes of pure gold bullion (6,800 bars). They escaped with gold, diamonds, and cash worth roughly £26 million; equivalent to over £100 million today.

It stands out among robberies because of the logistical chaos it caused. The gold was too heavy to move easily, and too "hot" to sell as-is. The investigation spanned decades, as much of the gold was smelted down and recirculated into the legitimate gold market. Many people in the UK today may unknowingly own jewellery made from Brink’s-Mat gold.

6 - The Louvre Heist

Value at the time: £76 million

Current value: £77.7 million

Just when we thought modern technology made art theft a thing of the past, the 2025 Louvre heist proved that the traditional techniques (disguise and speed) can still work. In October that year, thieves struck the world’s most visited museum by attacking its "blind spots."

Thieves disguised as construction workers used a furniture lift to gain entry to a first-floor balcony of the Louvre during regular opening hours. Once inside the Galerie d’Apollon, they used disc cutters to breach glass cases and made off with eight pieces of the French Crown Jewels. The entire operation took less than eight minutes.

It remains one of the most talked-about robberies and became a social media phenomenon. The loot has an estimated value of €88 million (approx. £76 million), which included a diamond-encrusted tiara and emerald sets belonging to Empress Marie Louise. This was the first major theft from the Louvre in over 25 years.

Famous celebrity robberies

It’s not just banks and museums that are targeted. Over the last few years, there have been some notable personal robberies, too.

Celebrities are natural targets for theft due to their status and wealth. Travelling with minimal security or leaving their mansions unattended can leave them vulnerable to thieves, too.

1 - Kim Kardashian

Value at the time: £7.4 million

Current value: £10.5 million

Kim Kardashian takes the top spot as the celebrity who lost the most in a robbery, when armed thieves broke into her Parisian hotel. The robbers escaped with jewels worth an estimated £7.4 million at the time, including an engagement ring from her then-husband Kanye West worth a reported £3.5 million.

2 - Drake

Value at the time: £2 million

Current value: £2.83 million

Second place is Canadian rapper Drake. During his summer 2016 tour, a thief snuck aboard his tour bus in Phoenix, Arizona and stole a briefcase containing jewellery now worth an estimated £2.83 million.

3 - Daddy Yankee

Value at the time: £1.7 million

Current value: £2.6 million

In third place is Daddy Yankee, who had an estimated £1.7 million in jewels stolen from the safe in his Spanish hotel room. The thief impersonated him and asked hotel employees to open the safe before making off with the jewels.

What makes items valuable?

Identifying the value of an item isn’t easy, so we’ve put together this list of what to look out for when judging the price of your most prized antiques.

Rarity

Usually, the harder an item is to get hold of, the more valuable it will be; better yet, if it’s totally unique. Handmade items are often highly prized for their rarity as no two will be completely the same. Even some mass-produced items can be valuable if they feature mistakes in their design, so try to find out how many of the items were originally made and how many are still around to gauge their value. 

Condition

Most antiques have a higher value if they’ve been kept in good condition, and the devaluation of damages can vary from item to item. Look out for cracks, chips, or missing parts to get a feel for the value. Sometimes, even signs of repair can devalue an antique, so make sure they’re restored professionally to retain their value.   

Provenance

An item’s history or provenance can also affect its value. Even everyday objects can be highly valuable if they were owned by famous people, especially if there’s supporting proof like photographs. This also helps separate genuine items from forgeries or replicas. 

Authenticity

If an item is the real deal, then it will be more valuable than reproductions. However, identifying authenticity has become very difficult as technology has made reproductions harder to spot. Look into the artist or manufacturing company, and research the types of pieces they made to make sure all the elements add up.

Sentimental value

The best way to assess an antique’s value isn’t just to figure out its financial worth, but what it means to you. A family heirloom can have far more sentimental value than the price tag attached to it because of its unique story and its connection to you, making them priceless.

Conclusion

Whilst these are extreme examples of theft, it’s important to be aware of everyday attempts at burglary. Take a look at our guide on the best locations around the home to hide precious valuables.