like isabella d'este's, mrs. gardner's ambition was to obtain a raphael for her collection. the kind of raphael she wanted was, naturally, a madonna. the one she coveted was the so-called "small cowper madonna," then in an english private collection. berenson said he moved heaven and earth to get the painting for her, but was ver successful. mrs. gardner had to be tisfied instead with a portrait by raphael. the painting was of a roman prelate, tommaso inghirami. this realistic portrayal of an unattractive sitter was one raphael's most brilliant inventions. although it was not the kind of raphael that collectorpreferred, mrs. gardner purchased it in 1898. a predella panel from an altarpiece represting the lamentation. mrs. gardner had never seen the painting. she bought it based on berenson's recomndation and on a photograph which he had sent her. although isabella gardner never obtained a madonna, she did succeed in acquiring the first authentic raphael to reach these shores. by the turn of the century, the fortunes creat when america changed from an agricultural to an indus

years ago tonight one of the most daring, certainly the largest art heist ever happened in the isabella gardner museum in boston. tonight the fbi is making an unusual public appeal to get some of the stolen masterpieces back, and there is a $5 million reward up for grabs. our report from nbc's pete williams. >> reporter: it remains one of america's major unsolved mysteries. who broke into boston's gardner art museum march 19, 1990 and slashed 19 pieces of art out of their frames, the world's biggest art heist and property theft ever. three rembrandts and work by monet taken by two men disguised as policemen, who bluffed their way in and handcuffed the two guards on duty. just last year digging up the yard of a reputed mobster, this surprising announcement. the fbi knows who did it and just want the paintings back. >> we believe those responsible for the theft were members of a criminal organization with a base in the mid-atlantic states and new england. >> reporter: the fbi says there is a trail leading to connecticut and pennsylvania. >> we determined that approximately a decade ago, some of t

the isabella stewart gardner museum in boston. visitors from all over the world come to see these masterpieces. but that's not all they're looking at. they are also looking at a crime scene. in fact, a crime scene from the biggest art heist in history still unsolved. and this is all that's left. it is one of the art world's greatest mysteries. who stole these priceless works of art? and how have they managed to elude investigators all over the world for more than two decades? 13 works of art stolen, paintings by rembrandt, vermeer, manet, flinck, sketches by degas. a chinese bronze beaker and a finial that set on top of a napoleonic flag. all taken in the dark of night. all together, worth $500 million. $500 million. and not one has ever been found. >> i'm randy kaye outside the isabella stewart gardner museum. this is where it all began march 18th, 1990. it was st. patrick's weekend. there was a house party at the building right behind the museum. some time after midnight, a group of young men left the party and spotted a car wit

the isabella stewart gardner museum in boston. over the world come to see these masterpieces. but that's not all they're looking at. they are also looking at a crime scene. in fact, a crime scene from the biggest art heist in history. still unsolved. and this is all that's left. i'm randi kaye outside the isabella stewart gardner museum in boston. this is where it all began, the night of march 18th, 1990. it was st. patrick's day weekend. there was a house party at the building right behind the museum. sometime after midnight, a group of young men left the party and spotted a car with what looked like two boston police officers inside. they had no idea these two men weren't really police officers. and no clue that just a short time later these two men would pull off the greatest art heist in history. >> come in, clock in, there would be two guards. >> reporter: rick abagent was one of the night watchmen on duty the night of the crime. until now, he had never done a television interview about what happened that night. >> cops were

the 1990 cunningly executed thefts of 13 works of art from the isabella stewart gardner museum in boston. works by degas, vermeer, manet, rembrandt - the value? they say around a half a billion dollars & the fbi doesn't forget they say they know who did it & expect the case to soon be resolved. let's talk with jonathan sazonoff, you consult on art thefts & have 1 of the largest data bases on the planet associated with stolen art. 500 thousand dollars, you say nowhere near that much. > >people always inflate the figures on these. i've seen figures as high as 2 billion dollars but if you really run some numbers its about 135 million. > >the statute of limitaions has run out. the crooks can't be prosecuted unless they're found in possession of these works. what's going on here? > >they're just trying to flush them out somehow.it seems that every anniversary they try to get the public interested in this. art theft spurs the imagination of so many people out there that they're looking for leads. > >these are gorgeous pieces and its interesting how the museum has left these spaces bare where t

. >> reporter: the isabella stuart gardner museum is offering a reward of $5 million for informationy to the recovery of all of our art in good condition. >> reporter: the fbi's publicity campaign is for a global audience but they'll target connecticut and philadelphia, it was taken to and put up for all of the artwork was taken and put up for sale in the years after the heist. in boston i'm sean kelly for abc news. >>> in ohio new developments in the rape case that's drawn nationwide attention. two teenaged girls have been arrested for making threats against the victim on facebook and twitter. the girls are being held in juvenile detention charged with menacing. a grand jury is now looking into whether anyone else should be charged for not speaking up after that attack last summer. >>> lindsay lohan has reached a last-minute plea deal which will keep her out of jail. the scandal-plagued star will have to be in a lockdown rehab for three months, perform community service and get 18 months of psychological therapy. but the hearing aftermath was not without drama. lohan's father, micha

investigators say the thieves dressed up as cops, walked into the isabella stewart gardner museum and tied up the guards. 90 minutes later they are said to have walked out with 13 paintings from such masters as rembrandt and vermeire. the fbi didn't name the suspects at the time. but the fbi now says they are part of an organized crime ring on the east coast. >> for the first time we can say with a high degree of confidence we have determined that in the years since the theft, the art was transported to connecticut and to the philadelphia area. >> >> shepard: agents have had several leads over the year. nothing has panned out as far as we know. enough to they say the crooks recently tried to sell that stolen artwork. two people are dead and several others injured after a private jet crashed into several houses in south bend, indiana. and now we know among the dead a university of oklahoma football legend. the plane was flying from it tulsa to south bend. but the pilot reported some kind of electrical problems and moments later, witnesses say that plane flew low over a neighborhood, cl

punishment, 23 years ago this week, the biggest art heist in history went down in boston's isabella stuart gardnerm. thieves dressed as police officers made off with 13 pieces of art worth an estimated half billion dollars. it's an absolutely fascinating story filled with mystery and intrigue and it's the subject of a special report we're going to be airing tomorrow night. last night we took you inside the heist with an exclusive interview with a night watchman who actually let the thieves into the museum. tonight we're digging deeper into the whodunit aspect. over the years everyone from museum employees to notorious gangsters have been considered suspects. randi kaye picks up the investigation. >> i'd like to say it is boston's last best secret. >> reporter: boston's last best secret. who stole the 13 works of art from the isabela stuart gardner museum and where are they now? it is a question that continues to puzzle museum security director, anthony amore. what is it about this case that keeps you up at night that just doesn't sit right with you? >> there were lots of quirky things about it. ev

as police officers bluffed their way in, saying they heard there was a disturbance at the isabella stewart gardnerk them down to the basement. during the next 81 minutes, they committed one of the largest property thefts in history, taking 13 different artworks, now worth about $500 million. >> imagine if you could never here beethoven's fifth or any great piece of music that you enjoy. and it's just dedicated to memory. that's the same when you lose a painting, like the ones we've lost, these singular masterworks by some of the world's greatest artists. >> reporter: the thieves entered the first floor and went to the blue room and stole a monet painting. then they went up to the second floor. in the dutch room, they stole six paintings, some of them cut out of the frames. among them, three rembrandt's, including the artist's only seascape. and a vermeer. there are only 34 vermeer paintings that are believed to exist. then they crossed into the short gallery and took another six art pieces, including five degal paintings. the fbi announced they now know who took the artwork. investigators say they

they were cut write out of their frames in the dead of the night from the isabella stewart gardner museumd now the fbi says they know who did it. lisa sylvester takes us through the heist. >> 1:24 in the morning in boston, the day after st. patrick's day in 1990. two dressed as police officers made their way in and tied up the guards on duty and took them down to the basement. during the next 81 minutes they committed one of the largest property thefts in history, taking 13 different artworks, now worth about half a billion dollars. >> imagine if you could never hear beethoven's fifth or any great piece of music that you enjoy and it is just dedicated to memory. that's the same when you lose a painting like the ones we lost, singular master works but some of the world's greatest artists. >> the thieves entered the first floor and went to the blue room and stole a monet painting and then to the second floor. in the dutch room they stole six paintings, some of them cut out of the frames. among them, three rembrandts including the artist's only seascape, and a vermeer, there are only 34 ver