In one of the most audacious and bizarre heists in NASA history, a former intern stole a safe filled with Moon rocks from the Johnson Space Center in 2002—and later, in a move that stunned authorities and amused the internet, allegedly had sex atop the samples in a motel room.
Thad Roberts, a 25-year-old intern with aspirations of becoming an astronaut, masterminded the theft with help from his girlfriend, Tiffany Fowler, and another accomplice, Shae Saur. The trio managed to bypass security and wheel out a 600-pound safe containing lunar samples collected during the Apollo missions.
The stolen rocks were primarily part of NASA’s “loanable” collection—samples often sent to schools and museums for educational purposes—but they still held immense scientific and symbolic value. Many were considered irreplaceable.
After the theft, Roberts and Fowler checked into a motel, spread the Moon rocks on a bed, and reportedly had sex on them—a symbolic gesture that Roberts later described as a way to make their experience “cosmic.” This detail, while surreal, was confirmed through FBI investigation and is included in court records and Mezrich’s book Sex on the Moon. Get it on Amazon dirt cheap!
Their plan to sell the rocks unraveled quickly. Roberts had reached out to a Belgian mineral collector to broker a deal, but the collector informed the FBI. A sting operation followed, culminating in their arrest on July 20, 2002—ironically, the anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Roberts was sentenced to over eight years in federal prison. His accomplices received probation and restitution orders. The Moon rocks were eventually recovered, though their scientific integrity was compromised due to improper handling.
Despite the seriousness of the crime, the case continues to draw fascination due to its outlandish blend of romance, ambition, and lunar larceny.
Source: Collect Space
