How was The Scream recovered after the 1994 theft?

The 1994 theft of Edvard Munch’s The Scream from the National Gallery in Oslo was resolved through a coordinated international sting operation.12

After the thieves demanded a $1 million ransom for the painting's return, Norwegian authorities refused to pay and instead collaborated with the London Metropolitan Police’s art and antiques unit. A detective from the unit set up an elaborate sting, posing as a representative from the Getty Museum interested in purchasing the stolen masterpiece.13

By adopting the persona of an art dealer, the detective successfully negotiated with the suspects. Within three months of the operation, the team recovered the painting undamaged, and four individuals were subsequently convicted of the crime.13