Art and Crime

Abstract

The relationship between art and crime can be analyzed under two major headings, representing the current trends in criminological research on the topic. First, there are crimes against or involving non‐archaeological artistic works, such as the theft or faking of paintings. Works of art can be extremely attractive as targets for crime, given their sometimes very high financial value and relative portability. Theft of art is a regular occurrence, ranging from thefts from private residences and smaller galleries all the way up to very high‐value thefts from major institutions. Faking of art is also common, and passing off fakes as originals is a type of fraud. Second, there is the hot contemporary debate around archaeologically important cultural objects, looted from temples and tombs and trafficked to international markets to be sold as artworks. This is a global issue which involves a range of crimes along the supply chain including theft, smuggling, and handling stolen goods.