If we were discussing the theft of several million dollars from a bank, then only considering the monetary value of the theft makes sense. Here, though, it's an

If we were discussing the theft of several million dollars from a bank, then only considering the monetary value of the theft makes sense. Here, though, it's an incomplete picture to only consider monetary value as the reason for the theft. What about social capital? Picture this - the leader of a particular organized crime ring wants to cinch the impression of complete control to his associates. What better way to do that than hang a painting like this on a wall in the dining room of his estate? It demonstrates not only that he has a literal van Gogh in his house, but also shows that when he wants something, he can just take it - painting on sale or no, he'll have it in his house. The fact that this painting was stolen on van Gogh's birthday feeds my imagination that something like this really happened.