Sweden was the scene of a heist this week that is worthy of Ocean Eleven or The Thomas Crown Affair. A gang of thieves hit the Strangnas Cathedral. The 900-year-old church (located about 50 miles from Stockholm) houses the royal treasure of King Karl IX and Queen Kristina. It was surprisingly easy — a smash and grab followed by a high-speed boat getaway.
According to Sky News, the two crowns, orb and other items were taken for simple glass boxes. The contents were burial items to mark the death of King Karl IX in 1611 but they were later exhumed and displayed.
The ease of the theft left many perplexed but the church insisted the treasure was kept “in accordance with the prevailing safety regulations in locked and alarmed displays in the cathedral.”
Ok, it was secure until they broke the glass and ran for it.