Not content to let lax Parisian security and poor planning take centre stage, Canadian thieves have decided to show off just how stupid they can be. A number of stolen lithographs by Jean-Paul Riopelle turned up on Kijiji. In case you are one of our international readers, allow me to explain: Kijiji is a free classified website like Craigslist. Only instead of used couches, one night stands, and free useless items no one in his/her right mind would want to take home, one can apparently also pick up pieces of Canadian history.

Were they trying to get caught? It's stolen art, dudes. Someone's going to figure it out.

While most stolen art news touches on Nazi purloined oeuvres, the news broke that a thief or thieves stole five paintings early this morning from the Paris Museum of Modern Art. The security system was disabled, and only one masked figure was caught on camera, which suggests a certain level of professionalism. The best part of the story, however, is the reaction of Pierre Cornette de Saint-Cyr, director of a neighbouring modern art museum, Palais de Tokyo:

“You cannot do anything with these paintings. All countries in the world are aware, and no collector is stupid enough to buy a painting that, one, he can't show to other collectors, and two, risks sending him to prison. In general, you find these paintings. These five paintings are un-sellable, so thieves, sirs, you are imbeciles, now return them.”

Ha! Love his attitude. And not five minutes after I learned that most museums acquire 90% of their art from donors. Hope this makes M de Saint-Cyr some friends! Also, I hope the thief just keeps the works for himself like that guy who stole the Mona Lisa.