The Jaw-Dropping Heist That Just Shook Up The Set Of The Crown

Netflix's "The Crown" is an incredibly ambitious look at the life and times of Queen Elizabeth II, as evidenced by the fact that the titular character is portrayed by no less than three actors: Claire Foy in the Queen's youthful years in seasons 1 and 2, Olivia Colman in seasons 3 and 4, and Imelda Staunton in the upcoming "The Crown" Season 5. During the decades-long time frame of the show, the viewer meets a whole bunch of familiar historical figures, from Winston Churchill (John Lithgow) and John F. Kennedy (Michael C. Hall) to Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) and Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson). 

Since many of these historical figures are portrayed by very well-known actors, it's easy to think that making the show is almost as exciting behind the scenes as the events in front of the camera are. However, the behind-the-scenes stuff got a bit too exciting as of late, thanks to the jaw-dropping heist that just shook up the set of "The Crown." Here's what happened.

Since "The Crown" centers on arguably the best-known royal family in the Western world, it's only natural that the sets and props the show uses are quite elaborate and valuable ... and, according to Variety, this hasn't gone unnoticed by the less than law-abiding segment of the population. On February 24, reports surfaced that over 350 props used in the show have been stolen from three cars used by the production in Doncaster, UK, and the items the thiefs took were worth over $200,000. The stolen items include a replica Fabergé egg, as well as an elaborate dressing table, 19 candelabras, and valuable glassware. 

"We can confirm the antiques have been stolen and we hope that they are found and returned safely," a spokesperson for Netflix said of the incident. "Replacements will be sourced, there is no expectation that filming will be held up."

 While the $200,000 haul might seem impressive, it's worth noting that they may be difficult to resell, and even if this was possible, the thieves' payday might be considerably lower. "The items stolen are not necessarily in the best condition and therefore of limited value for resale," set decorator Alison Harvey said. "However, they are valuable as pieces to the UK film industry."