7. An Egyptian Ring from the Time of Ramses VI -1980

Overhead view of the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Just a year after the marble head was stolen, a couple of teenagers made off with an ancient Egyptian ring from the time of Ramses VI. Before they could be caught, they sold the ring to a Manhattan jeweler for $10,000. That jeweler, Bernard Yervanian, and his employee Vincent Vella then attempted to broker a deal with the museum to sell the stolen ring back.

Yervanian got in touch with the museum and let them know that he could return the ring, for a fee of $80,000. He would act as the museum’s “authorized representative” and asked that no police be present when he exchanged the ring for his “commission,” according to the New York Times. Upon the appointed meeting time for the handoff, Yervanian’s employee Vella set out to meet with museum officials but was instead met by the police. Yervanian was in cuffs soon after and the 16-year-old who originally stole the ring, along with an accomplice, was also tracked down.