NASA intern Thad Roberts stole $21 million in moon rocks from Johnson Space Center for love; shocked the world |

In considered one of the most audacious and weird crimes in NASA historical past, Thad Roberts, a 24-year-old intern, stole moon rocks valued at $21 million in 2002, pushed by romance somewhat than greed. Alongside his girlfriend Tiffany Fowler and fellow intern Shae Saur, Roberts executed a meticulously deliberate housebreaking at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, utilizing genuine NASA badges, rewired safety cameras, and Neoprene fits to bypass alarms. Their theft of 17 kilos of lunar samples included historic moon rocks from Apollo missions 1969–1972. While Roberts claimed the act was “for love,” the FBI revealed he had tried to promote the rocks. This extraordinary heist destroyed priceless scientific analysis and shocked the world, mixing science, crime, and obsession in an unforgettable story.

$21 million moon rock theft at Johnson Space Center shocks scientists worldwide

On a July evening in 2002, Roberts, Fowler, and Saur infiltrated Building 31 at Johnson Space Center. Roberts and Fowler donned Neoprene bodysuits, which allowed them to bypass thermal alarms, whereas Saur acted as a lookout. Using an influence noticed, they cracked open a 601-pound secure containing moon rocks and meteorites, together with samples from each Apollo mission. The stolen lunar samples have been price roughly $21 million and represented many years of scientific analysis. The planning and execution demonstrated not solely audacity but additionally technical sophistication, exhibiting how a mix of insider information and dedication can circumvent the most safe amenities.

Source: Live Science

Who is Thad Roberts? From NASA Intern to mastermind behind the $21 million moon rock theft

Thad Roberts graduated from the University of Utah with a triple diploma in physics, geology, and geophysics, making him extremely certified to work at NASA. He met Tiffany Fowler, a 22-year-old stem cell researcher, and the couple rapidly turned romantically concerned. Roberts reportedly informed Fowler he needed to “give her the moon,” framing the theft as a grand romantic gesture. According to People.com , the FBI thought of monetary motives, Roberts maintained that the act symbolized devotion somewhat than revenue.

Moon rock theft ends with FBI arrests and thousands and thousands in NASA lunar samples misplaced

Roberts and Fowler’s motivation went past romance—they symbolically “had sex on the moon” by inserting stolen lunar samples underneath a blanket throughout intimate moments. Roberts later acknowledged, “No one had ever had sex on the moon before,” underscoring the weird, virtually surreal nature of the crime. While Roberts claimed love was the driving issue, the FBI found he had negotiated with a Belgian purchaser keen to pay as much as $5,000 per gram, proving the theft had monetary implications.The heist got here to a dramatic finish when Roberts and Fowler traveled to Orlando to fulfill the potential purchaser, solely to be apprehended by undercover FBI brokers. Saur and Gordon McWhorter, who helped organize the sale, have been arrested shortly afterward. The investigation revealed that the theft had prompted irreversible harm: the moon rocks have been now “virtually useless to the scientific community,” and three many years of NASA analysis notes have been destroyed as reported.

Moon rock theft from NASA results in jail, home arrest, and fines

Thad Roberts pleaded responsible to the theft of moon rocks and different NASA artifacts, serving over six years of an eight-year jail sentence earlier than his launch in 2008. Tiffany Fowler and Shae Saur obtained home arrest, group service, and have been required to pay restitution to NASA. Gordon McWhorter was convicted at trial for his involvement in the theft and sentenced to 6 years in jail.Also Read | NASA and Google collaborating collectively to spice up astronaut well being on Moon and Mars missions