Stealing Sisi's Star : How a Master Thief Nearly Got Away with Austria's Most Famous Jewel

While on honeymoon in Vienna in June of 1998, at the height of the tourist season, Gerald Daniel Blanchard, an accomplished thief, happened upon the greatest challenge of his life when he spotted the last remaining "Sisi Star" on display in Schonbrunn Palace. Named after its former owner, the Empress Elisabeth, the ten-pointed diamond and pearl star was originally one of 27 that the enigmatic Sisi wore in her extravagantly long hair. Despite the multi-layered security system protecting the priceless jewel, Blanchard decided then and there to steal it. The star remained missing for nine years until a team of Canadian police investigators launched a joint task force to bring down a criminal organization that had robbed banks, stores and ordinary citizens on several continents. When their chief suspect offered to reveal the whereabouts of the Sisi Star, the investigators realized they were dealing with no ordinary thief. But no one involved in the case fully understood the history of the star, its ties to obsession, suicide and assassination. In June 1998, at the height of Vienna's tourist season, an accomplished thief happened upon the greatest challenge of his young life. While on honeymoon, he spotted the last remaining diamond-and-pearl "Sisi Star," named for its original 19th century owner Empress Elisabeth, on display in Schnbrunn Palace, the Viennese version of Versailles. The ten-pointed star had been one of twenty-seven that the enigmatic Sisi, who was considered one of the most beautiful women of her day, wore in her extravagantly long, lush hair. Despite the multi-layered, high-tech security methods guarding the precious piece of jewelry as it rested on its red velvet pillow, the thief decided then and there that he would use his extraordinary talents to steal it. The Star would remain hidden some 7,000 miles away until a team of determined Canadian police investigators launched a joint task force to bring down a criminal organization that had robbed banks, stores, and ordinary citizens on several continents. When the chief suspect offered to reveal the surprising whereabouts of the long-forgotten Sisi Star some nine years after it went missing, the officers realized that they were dealing with no ordinary thief. No one involved in the case, however, fully understood the exceptionally rich history of the Sisi Star - its ties to obsession, suicide, extravagant spending, and even assassination - nor how important it was for Austria to get it back. In "Stealing Sisi's Star," Journalist Jennifer Bowers Bahney weaves together the tale of two narcissists, the glamorous Empress of Austria and the modern-day thief who baffled INTERPOL by stealing her precious jewel 100 years after her murder. While on honeymoon in Vienna in June of 1998, at the height of the tourist season, Gerald Daniel Blanchard, an accomplished thief, happened upon the greatest challenge of his life when he spotted the last remaining "Sisi Star" on display in Schönbrunn Palace. Named after its former owner, the Empress Elisabeth, the ten-pointed diamond and pearl star was originally one of 27 that the enigmatic Sisi wore in her extravagantly long hair. Despite the multi-layered security system protecting the priceless jewel, Blanchard decided then and there to steal it.The star remained missing for nine years until a team of Canadian police investigators launched a joint task force to bring down a criminal organization that had robbed banks, stores and ordinary citizens on several continents. When their chief suspect offered to reveal the whereabouts of the Sisi Star, the investigators realized they were dealing with no ordinary thief. But no one involved in the case fully understood the history of the star, its ties to obsession, suicide and assassination