The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession

In May 2002, the press uncovers the story of the art thefts. From the television in his Swiss jail, Breitwieser sees reports estimating the value of the stolen items to be up to $2 billion. He worries that he will be expected to reimburse this exorbitant amount. He also learns that his mother is in prison and Anne-Catherine, though free, is awaiting trial.

Overcome with depression, Breitwieser forms a noose from dental floss. A guard intervenes before he attempts to hang himself. Breitwieser is prescribed antidepressants, and Von der Mühll attempts to lift his mood by bringing him auction catalogs. Although forbidden to correspond with his mother or girlfriend, Breitwieser writes to Anne-Catherine repeatedly, hoping at least one letter will slip through prison security. He receives no reply and borrows a cell phone from another inmate. When he calls Anne-Catherine at work, he is told she will not speak to him.

Breitweiser receives a supportive letter from his father—their first contact in eight years. Roland Breitwieser begins regularly visiting his son in prison, bringing his new wife and daughter, and also his ex-wife’s parents. Breitwieser’s grandmother blames the museums for her grandson’s crimes, declaring they should have better security measures in place.

Breitweiser has stolen from seven countries and theoretically could face seven separate trials. The first is in Gruyères, Switzerland, and he is assigned the defense attorney Jean-Claude Morisod—a fellow art lover. The trial begins in February 2003, 15 months after the date of his arrest.

The trial lasts for three days. Breitwieser’s attorney argues for leniency, suggesting that the 444 days his client has already spent in jail should suffice for his crimes. Morisod presents Breitwieser as a “gentleman” thief, emphasizing that he did not use violence or intentionally cause damage. Christian Meichler testifies for the defense, describing his friend’s passion for art. Breitwieser’s father also takes the stand, suggesting that parental separation adversely affected his son.

When Breitwieser testifies, he asserts that he saw himself as the “temporary custodian” of the stolen art and intended to return it at some point in the future. Morisod points out legal precedents for his client’s case. Kempton Bunton—the thief of Goya’s Duke of Wellington—kept the painting for four years before returning it. Consequently, he was acquitted of theft and served only three months for failing to return the frame. Meanwhile, the attorney of Vincenzo Peruggia (the thief of the Mona Lisa) successfully argued his client was driven to steal by his obsession with the painting. Peruggia spent only seven months in prison. Morisod argues that Breitwieser has already served a longer sentence than Bunton and Peruggia combined.

The prosecutor refutes Morisod’s suggestion that Breitwieser’s crimes were essentially harmless and victimless. To support his case, he asks several museum directors and curators to testify. One emphasizes the historical importance of the bugle from the Richard Wagner Museum, which is still missing. A curator of Gruyères Castle laments that two stolen paintings remain unrecovered, and the tapestry Breitwieser took is damaged. Museum Director Marie-Claude Morand emotionally describes the tobacco box, commissioned by Napoleon, which is still missing. Morand emphasizes that the very existence of museums depends on a relationship of trust with the public.

The prosecution concludes by reading a letter from Breitwieser to Anne-Catherine, intercepted by the prison. The letter expresses his dismay at being caught and hypothesizes that he would have stolen 20 more pieces by now if he had not been arrested. The prosecutor argues that Breitwieser feels no remorse and is incapable of change, recommending a lengthy sentence.

The judge and jury take two and a half hours to agree on a verdict. Breitwieser is sentenced to four years, including time already served—a lenient sentence due to the non-violent nature of his crimes. He is also fined hundreds of thousands of dollars. Breitwieser is shocked, having anticipated his immediate release. He serves the remainder of his sentence in a Swiss detention center. The art thief learns from his father that when his mother was arrested, she lost her job as a pediatric nurse. Consequently, she sold her house and moved in with her parents.

In July 2004, Breitwieser is transported to a French jail to await trial for thefts committed in six countries. Breitwieser is taken to the offices of the chief investigator of the case. Anne-Catherine is also present but is legally prohibited from speaking to him. The investigator explains there are discrepancies between the accounts of Anne-Catherine and Breitwieser. Anne-Catherine claims she knew nothing about the thefts and rarely went into the attic. Breitwieser hastily changes his story, claiming Anne-Catherine is telling the truth. Returning to jail, he feels hopeful of a future with his girlfriend.

The French trial begins in January 2005. Here, Breitwieser, Mireille Stengel, and Anne-Catherine are all tried for their roles in the crimes. When Anne-Catherine is called to the stand, she reveals she has a 19-month-old son. Horrified, Breitwieser realizes that she became pregnant 10 months after his arrest.

When Mireille Stengel testifies in court, she contradicts her previous accounts. She denies destroying the artwork and declares that she hates her son. The French prosecutor criticizes Stengel, accusing her of unapologetically destroying irreplaceable items of historical importance. A therapist who conducted a psychological assessment of Stengel suggests that she viewed the stolen items as a rival for her son’s love and disposed of them to punish him. Angry at this attack on his mother, Breitweiser shouts that she had no idea about the thefts. The defense attorney highlights Stengel’s history as a respectable working mother and churchgoer, suggesting she was a victim of her son. Stengel is found guilty of destroying public property and handling stolen goods. Her sentence is four months in jail, followed by eight months’ probation with an ankle monitor. She is also fined.

Anne-Catherine claims she barely knew Breitwieser and was scared of him. She denies being present during any of the thefts or seeing any of the stolen artwork. Incensed, Breitwieser shouts across the courtroom, reminding Anne-Catherine of their romantic vacations and condemning her for having another man’s child. Anne-Catherine calls him a “monster.” The prosecution accuses Anne-Catherine of perjury, arguing there is significant evidence of her presence during many of the thefts. Anne-Catherine’s defense attorney acknowledges his client has not been entirely truthful but argues that she feared Breitwieser and was subject to coercion. He appeals to the jury not to send the mother of a young child to jail. Consequently, Anne-Catherine spends only one night in custody. She is fined but released without a criminal record. After the trial, she continues working at the hospital and buys an apartment.

Breitwieser is sentenced to a further two years in prison. In all, he serves three years, seven months, and fifteen days. After his release, he continues to see his father and apologizes to his mother, who immediately forgives him. Nevertheless, Mireille Stengel refuses to discuss what she did with the missing artworks.

Breitwieser finds work as a lumberjack, delivery man, and cleaner. He rents a cheap, bare apartment, which his mother pays for. The art thief’s probation terms prevent him from visiting museums or galleries for three years. He is also prohibited from contacting Anne-Catherine. Nevertheless, he sends her a letter describing his misery and asking to meet. Anne-Catherine reports his probation violation to the police, and he is sent back to jail for 15 days. Furious, he punches the window in his cell, injuring his hand.

Anne-Catherine lives a quiet life after the trial. She refuses all invitations to be interviewed.