38. Charlie Chaplin’s body was stolen from his Swiss grave
Charles Chaplin, film’s famed Little Tramp, died on Christmas Day, 1977 and was buried in a Swiss cemetery two days later. The following March his grave was dug up and his body stolen, held for ransom by a Pole named Roman Wardas and a Bulgarian, Gantcho Ganev. The bodysnatchers demanded a ransom equivalent to $600,000 for the return of the corpse. Chaplin’s widow Oona cooperated with the police and allowed her phone to be tapped while officers and volunteers monitored the more than 200 pay telephones in the area. In May the thieves were caught, Chaplin’s body was recovered and re-interred, and a concrete cover was placed over his hopefully final resting place.