A daring heist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in 2002 involved stolen moon rocks, authentic badges, and an unusual romantic gesture that made headlines across the nation.
Former NASA intern Thad Roberts orchestrated the theft of 17 pounds of moon rocks and a meteorite from Houston's Johnson Space Center in July 2002, according to People. The elaborate scheme involved authentic NASA badges, rewired security cameras, and Neoprene bodysuits to avoid triggering thermal alarms while stealing a 601-pound safe containing an estimated $21 million worth of lunar samples.
Roberts, who was 24 at the time and held a triple degree in physics, geology, and geophysics from the University of Utah, recruited his girlfriend Tiffany Fowler and fellow intern Shae Saur as accomplices. The theft went unnoticed by NASA for several days, despite the missing safe containing precious samples from every lunar landing between 1969 and 1972.
Romance Behind the Crime
Roberts claimed his motivation stemmed from his three-week relationship with Fowler, a 22-year-old researcher in NASA's tissue culture laboratory. He told the LA Times in 2004 that he was thinking, "Baby, I'd give you the moon," and wanted to create a romantic start to their relationship. The couple had moved in together within three weeks of meeting, and Roberts shared his moon rock theft idea with Fowler, who reportedly found it intriguing.
The heist required careful planning and execution at Building 31, where the lunar samples were housed. Roberts and Fowler entered the facility wearing Neoprene bodysuits while Saur served as lookout and monitored the rewired security cameras. The couple successfully removed the safe from an airless room and used a power saw to crack it open.
Roberts insisted the theft wasn't financially motivated, telling CBS in 2012 that they weren't planning to buy luxury items with the proceeds. Instead, he claimed they wanted to fund scientific research that could change the world while maintaining their modest lifestyle.
Unusual Romantic Gesture
The most shocking aspect of the crime occurred on July 20, 2002, the 33rd anniversary of the first moon walk. Roberts and Fowler drove from Houston to Orlando to meet with a potential buyer, but Roberts had an unusual idea about an hour before the scheduled sale. He placed some of the stolen moon rocks underneath the blanket in their hotel bed.
Roberts later revealed to CBS that he and Fowler had sex on top of the lunar samples. He explained that while it was uncomfortable, the act was symbolic rather than about physical comfort, noting that no one had ever had sex on the moon before. Roberts believed Fowler could feel the rocks beneath them, though neither spoke directly about it during the encounter.
The romantic gesture represented the culmination of Roberts' promise to give his girlfriend the moon. He described the act as an expression of his love and devotion, creating what he considered a unique moment in human history.
FBI Investigation and Arrests
The romantic crime spree came to an abrupt end when the FBI intervened in the planned sale. Roberts had been in contact with a Belgian buyer willing to pay between $1,000 and $5,000 per gram for the stolen lunar samples. However, the buyer became suspicious and contacted federal authorities, who sent undercover agents to Orlando for the meeting.
Undercover FBI agents arrested Roberts and Fowler during the attempted sale on July 20, 2002. Authorities apprehended Saur later that same day, while a fourth accomplice, Gordon McWhorter, who helped locate the Belgian buyer, was also taken into custody. The FBI stated that the stolen rocks became virtually useless to the scientific community due to contamination from the theft.
The investigation revealed additional criminal activity beyond the moon rock heist. Roberts had also stolen dinosaur bones and fossils from the Natural History Museum in Salt Lake City while attending the University of Utah, according to the Deseret News. The theft also destroyed three decades of handwritten research notes by a NASA scientist that had been stored in the same safe.
Legal Consequences and Aftermath
Roberts pleaded guilty in 2002 to stealing the moon rocks and received an eight-year prison sentence. He was released early in 2008 after serving more than six years behind bars for his role in orchestrating the elaborate heist. His co-conspirators received significantly lighter sentences for their participation in the crime.
Fowler and Saur both pleaded guilty and received 180 days of house arrest, 150 hours of community service, and a three-year prohibition. They were also ordered to pay more than $9,000 in restitution to NASA for their roles in the theft. McWhorter was found guilty at trial and received a six-year prison sentence for his involvement in finding the buyer.
The story gained renewed attention when author Ben Mezrich documented the case in his 2011 book titled "Sex on the Moon." Roberts and Fowler reportedly never saw each other again after their arrests, ending their brief but memorable romance that literally reached for the stars and resulted in federal prison time.
