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Season 1 – This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist

Play trailer 2:11 Poster for Season 1 – This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist Apr 2021 Documentary Crime Mystery & Thriller History Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
It was the biggest art heist in history: Over St. Patrick's Day weekend in 1990, legendary works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and others worth over half a billion dollars today were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. This four-part documentary series from director Colin Barnicle covers the leads, dead ends, lucky breaks and speculations that characterized the investigation of this still unsolved mystery.
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This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist — Season 1

This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

This is a Robbery may not be the world's most innovative docuseries, but a fascinating subject and an acute attention to detail make for a riveting watch.

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Critics Reviews

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Brad Newsome Sydney Morning Herald May 5, 2021
This series, about the 1990 robbery of half a billion dollars worth of art from a Boston museum, has a slightly muted palette in comparison, but sits comfortably in the same gallery. Go to Full Review Katie Walsh Tribune News Service Apr 16, 2021
3/4
Criminally good. Go to Full Review Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News Apr 15, 2021
3/4
Although the series didn't need to be strung out over four episodes (three would have sufficed just dandy), the re-enactments and red herrings tossed in get us so invested in the mystery that you won't care. Go to Full Review Olive St. Sauver But Why Tho? Feb 4, 2023
8/10
This is a Robbery is a great docuseries to binge, and likely to be favored even by those not generally interested in true crime. It maintains the “fun” of tracking a sometimes stranger-than-fiction caper in its editing and score... Go to Full Review Q.V. Hough Vague Visages Feb 18, 2022
With This Is a Robbery, Barnicle manages to pinpoint what probably happened at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on St. Pattys Day 1990 while amplifying the long-term mystery. Go to Full Review Deborah Krieger Artblog Sep 10, 2021
A documentary on an unsolved crime of such cultural significance should galvanize and provoke mourning in equal measure. Instead, Robbery dulls the viewer's interest and leaves her wanting better. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 30, 2025 4 real episodes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more David F @dfulmer Jan 3, 2025 This is a great true crime documentary about the theft of 13 works of art from an art museum in Boston. Unsolved the crime has led to many theories about who stole the art and what happened to it. The series comes to some conclusions but without the recovery of the art it is only speculation about what may have happened. Very intriguing if a little unsatisfying. See more Gareth v @geewah Jun 24, 2023 A well constructed doco that covers many angles on this art heist, but at the end of the day doesn't really add anything we don't already know. See more Jun 23, 2021 Spoiler alert: they still haven't find the stolen art. Just Google it to learn about the heist and what was stolen. Don't waste your time with four episodes that end up with a big fat nothing. See more randy l @ranville Jun 15, 2021 the isabella gardner museum is one of my top 5 museums in the world. i go everytime i am in boston. the doc was good and i learned a lot, but they didnt solve the mystery (not my reason for 4 starts) and in the end i was let down by the investigative details. See more May 22, 2021 4 hours of investment with no satisfaction of an ending. Very disappointed. Drawn our way too long. See more Read all reviews
This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Colin Barnicle

Executive Producer

Nick Barnicle

Executive Producer

Jane Rosenthal

Executive Producer

Linda Henry

Executive Producer

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Apr 7, 2021 They Looked Like Cops A museum guard buzzes in two men dressed as police officers, who disappear 81 minutes later with a priceless Rembrandt and other works of art. Details Episode 2 Aired Apr 7, 2021 Vipers in the Grass Investigators suspect the heist may have been an inside job and scrutinize the museum's security measures; even as a suspect emerges, but missteps hinder the investigation. Details Episode 3 Aired Apr 7, 2021 We've Seen It Amid alleged sightings of the stolen art, criminal activity associated with organized crime leads to possible suspects and a motive for the robbery. Details Episode 4 Aired Apr 7, 2021 $10 Million Reward An informant and sting operation open up new avenues in the investigation, which agents follow to the home of a smalltime mobster. Details

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This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist — Season 1

This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist: Documentary Series Trailer This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist: Documentary Series Trailer 2:11 Now Playing View more videos
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This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist — Season 1

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Season Info

Executive Producer
Colin Barnicle, Nick Barnicle, Jane Rosenthal, Linda Henry
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Documentary, Crime, Mystery & Thriller, History
Original Language
English
Release Date
Apr 7, 2021
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