Imagine two young students breaking into the most important museum in Mexico, stealing precious archeological pieces, and eluding the authorities for years. This isn’t the plot of a movie; it’s a real-life event that shocked the world in 1985.
Carlos Perches Treviño and Ramón Sardina García, both 21-year-old veterinary students, meticulously planned the robbery of the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. They managed to steal 124 priceless artifacts from the Maya, Mixteca, and Mexica civilizations. The audacity of their crime exposed serious security flaws in Mexico’s cultural institutions.
The Unprecedented Robbery
Despite their middle-class background and lack of criminal records, Perches and Sardina were fascinated with pre-Hispanic art. Their obsession led them to carry out the heist during Christmas Eve, bypassing security measures and escaping undetected.
After a massive investigation, most of the stolen pieces were recovered, shedding light on the cultural and historical value of the artifacts. The thieves’ motives remain a mystery to this day.
Impact and Legacy
The robbery prompted stricter security measures in Mexican museums and a legal overhaul to protect cultural heritage. The recovered pieces were finally returned to the museum in a ceremony attended by dignitaries, including President Carlos Salinas de Gortari and renowned writer Gabriel García Márquez.
The story of this daring theft has inspired films and novels, keeping the question alive: why did they do it? The mystery and intrigue continue to captivate audiences, making this event a lasting part of Mexican history.
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