The great Chinese art heist Imperialism, organized crime, and the hidden story of China's stolen artistic treasures

Beginning in Stockholm in 2010 and repeated in other European cities in subsequent years, a series of daring museum heists exclusively targeted Chinese antiquities--Qing dynasty vases, gold and turquoise ornaments, silk wall hangings, and many other treasures. Patterns emerged. The perpetrators usually had connections to local criminal gangs. Items more valuable than the ones stolen were left unmolested, suggesting a sophisticated, surgical approach. Few showed up for sale in the usual illicit channels. It became clear that Chinese triad crime syndicates might be involved and that most artifacts could be traced back to Beijing's Old Summer Palace, which was looted and burned by British and French soldiers in October 1860, the "single largest act of vandalism in China's modern history." Were the heists all part of an elaborate (and perhaps state-sponsored) scheme to repatriate? Acts of revenge? Finding clues in the Opium Wars, Pezzullo (coauthor of the Thomas Crocker thriller series and Inside SEAL Team Six, 2011) situates the heists within the "deep, unhealed cultural wound" that began China's century of humiliation and continues to propel its politics.

In this fascinating true crime narrative, playwright and journalist Pezzullo (Zero Footprint) traces a string of contemporary art thefts to historical injustices. In August 2010, a break-in at Stockholm's Drottningholm Palace netted thieves a trove of rare Chinese artifacts. Over the next decade, more heists followed in France, England, and other European countries; all were carefully planned, and targeted exclusively Chinese artifacts, many of which had first been looted from Beijing's Old Summer Palace by Anglo-French troops circa 1860. As Pezzullo entertains theories about who might be behind the thefts (the Chinese government? greedy billionaires? triad gangs posted abroad? all three in cahoots?), he fashions an enthralling history of Chinese relations with the West from the 19th century to the present, covering the Opium Wars, Europe's tense interactions with Chinese immigrants, and China's eventual rise as a trade superpower. Though he doesn't provide conclusive evidence about all of the thefts, Pezzullo offers a stimulating and entertaining look at their broader context. It's a treat for history buffs and caper fans alike. Agent: Mark Gottlieb, Trident Media Group. (July)