Heists are a fascinating watch for viewers thanks to the thrill element behind the planning, the audacity and the aftermath of the heist. An ultimate cat and mouse chase, these documentaries bring the real stakes to the table, multiplying the thrill thanks to the non-fiction aspect.
Thus, if heist documentaries are your thing, then we have the ultimate list for you. If you have just watched Stolen: Heist of the Century and want something equally fascinating right after, the world of streaming as you covered. These documentaries offer gripping narratives that delve into some of the boldest robberies in history. Whether you love slick masterminds or unbelievable amateur schemes, here are 5 must-watch heist documentaries you can stream right now.
This Is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist (2021)
This Netflix series, with only 4 episodes, covers the 1990 theft of 13 artworks from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum worth over $500 million. It’s one of the most infamous unsolved art heists in history, and the documentary does a great job of covering every aspect of the crime with the help of interviews, archival footage and theories that will boggle your mind! It’s a labyrinth with unending suspects, mob ties and dead ends which the documentary expertly handles. What adds to the mystery is that the artworks have yet to be retrieved, making this one of the most intriguing unsolved puzzles that you must watch.
The Great Robbery of Brazil’s Central Bank (2022)
This fast-paced Netflix Brazilian documentary film captures one of the world’s most ambitious bank heists to date. The 90-minute film follows $70 million stolen through a 78-meter tunnel into the Central Bank of Brazil in 2005 by a team of robbers who pose as a landscaping company. They dig a tunnel for months without anyone noticing in the ultimate thought-out con ever. It’s a tale of deception, planning and betrayal that is brought to the audience with a ton of entertainment, but it’s the scale and boldness of the operation that will ultimately leave you absolutely thrilled.
Heist (2021)
Heist doesn’t cover one daring robbery but three separate daring crimes told over 2 episodes each. Each of these crimes, including a bourbon theft, an airport cash heist, and a Vegas-style inside job, plays out like a blockbuster film featuring stylish reenactments, charismatic criminals and unexpected twists that come from left field. The high-energy storytelling and the complex characters add another layer to the series, making us sympathise with the robbers sometimes, as things constantly spiral out of control!
Bank Robbers: The Last Great Heist (2022)
Dubbed the “heist of the century” in Argentina, this documentary covers the 2006 Banco Río robbery in Buenos Aires, where the robbers looted over $20 million. The documentary brilliantly covers the smallest details of the case, in which the robbers used fake weapons, hostages and underground tunnels to make their escape without leaving behind a single trace. Told by the mastermind himself, the 110-minute film is fantastic to say the least and is equal parts clever and cinematic.
How to Rob a Bank (2024)
This Netflix film covers the true story of “Hollywood Bandit” Scott Scurlock, who orchestrated 19 bank robberies across Seattle in the 1990s. With the help of interviews with the robbers, law enforcement and criminal insiders, along with Scurlock’s own diary entries, the documentary brings to life the mind behind these intricate heists. It’s a rare, intimate look into both the thrill and the fallout of the real-life crime spree.
Which of these documentaries are you excited to watch next? Let us know in the comments below!
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