The Sidemen Reacts hosts, JJ and Toby, discuss the biggest things that have ever been stolen. They share stories about:
1. A Boeing 727 airplane stolen from Luanda, Angola in 2003, which was never seen again.
2. A Tyrannosaurus Batar skeleton stolen from Mongolia and sold in the US for over $1 million.
3. An 800-year-old red cedar tree stolen from Vancouver Island, Canada.
4. A 3,000-pound copper monastery bell stolen from a temple in Tacoma, Washington.
5. An entire church stolen brick by brick from a village in Russia.
6. A World War II Mustang fighter plane stolen and sold in Sweden for $331,000.
7. A 100-year-old bridge stolen in China and sold for scrap metal.
8. A fully loaded oil tanker hijacked by Somali pirates in 2017.
9. A mountain peak being slowly stolen by locals in eastern India to sell to property developers.
These stories showcase the creativity and audacity of thieves who have stolen some of the largest and most unusual items in history.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. On May 25, 2003, a Boeing 727 was stolen from an airport in Luanda, Angola.
2. The plane did not have clearance to fly and did not communicate with air traffic control.
3. The plane has never been seen again, despite an investigation by the FBI and CIA.
4. Two men, Ben C Padilla and John M Matantu, were seen boarding the plane before it took off.
5. Neither Padilla nor Matantu were certified to fly a 727, but both had been working on renovations on the plane.
6. In 2008, a Tyrannosaurus Batar skeleton was stolen from Mongolia and smuggled into the US.
7. The skeleton was auctioned off for over $1 million, but the sale was prevented by the Mongolian government.
8. In 2012, a 800-year-old red cedar tree was stolen from Vancouver Island in Canada.
9. The tree was 9 feet wide at the base and was cut 80% of the way through before being left to decompose.
10. The thieves later returned and stole the tree, which was never seen again.
11. In 2015, a 3,000-pound copper monastery bell was stolen from a temple in Tacoma, Washington.
12. The bell was 12 feet tall and was likely melted down to sell the copper.
13. In 2008, a church in Russia was stolen brick by brick.
14. The church had been standing since 1809 and was located in a remote area.
15. In 2012, a 100-year-old bridge was stolen in China.
16. The bridge was made up of 16 huge stone pieces and was stolen using two cranes and two trucks.
17. In 1980, a World War II Mustang fighter plane was stolen from a reserve airfield in Israel.
18. The plane was sold illegally in Sweden for $331,000.
19. In 2017, Somali pirates hijacked a fully loaded oil tanker called the Aris 13.
20. The pirates released the crew and the ship without ransom after realizing the ship was owned by a prominent Somali businessman.
21. Locals in eastern India are stealing the peak of a nearby mountain to sell to property developers.
22. The villagers work 11 hours a day to chip away the rock and use the earnings to feed their families.