TONIGHT, CBS4 NEWS
INVESTIGATES ONE OF THOSE
STORIES THAT COULD REALLY ONLY
BE SET IN SOUTH FLORIDA, A
TALE OF MODERN PIRACY INVOLVING
A 400-YEAR-OLD GOLD BAR.
WHEN HE DISAPPEARED EIGHT
YEARS AGO FROM KEY WEST, IT
TOUCHED OFF AN INTERNATIONAL
SEARCH.
BUT AUTHORITIES THINK THEY
FINALLY HAVE AN ANSWER.
Reporter: IN 2010, TWO MEN
WALKED INTO THE MUSEUM IN KEY
WEST AND STOLE A NEARLY 400-
YEAR-OLD GOLD BAR FROM A
SPECIALLY DESIGNED CASE THAT
WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO HOLD THE
ARTIFACT WITHOUT ACTUALLY
TAKING IT.
I COVERED THE GOLD BAR CAPER
WHEN IT HAPPENED, AND
INTERVIEWED THE MUSEUM'S
DIRECTOR.
YOU ARE NOT HAVING A VERY
GOOD WEEK HERE ARE YOU?
IT IS A CHALLENGING WEEK AND
ONE LIKE NO OTHER BEFORE.
Reporter: ONE OF THOSE HAVE
CONFESSED WHILE HIS ALLEGED
ACCOMPLICE GOES ON TO COURT. IF
YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE
HISTORY OF THAT GOLD BAR, YOU
SHOULD GO SEE THIS
ARCHAEOLOGIST AT THE MUSEUM.
THE GOLD BAR WAS FOUND ON THE
OCEAN FLOOR IN 1980 INSIDE THE
REMNANTS OF THE SANTA MARGARITA
, A SHIP THAT SANK IN 1622 JUST
25 MILES OFF OF KEY WEST.
BUT HERE IS THE EXPERT.
THE SHIP LEFT HAVANA IN 1622
AND BY SEPTEMBER 5, A HURRICANE
CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND STRUCK
THE FLEET AND COST SEVEN OF THE
SHIPS TO SING.
Reporter: WHEN MEL FISHER'S
TEAM DISCOVERED THE WRECK, THEY
WERE TAKEN ABACK BY ONE
PARTICULAR ITEM, A FOUND POUND
-- FIVE POUND GOLD INGOT. THEY
BUILT A SPECIAL CASE FOR IT.
A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH
SOMETHING THAT IT BEEN ON THE
SEAFLOOR FOR CENTURIES AND WAS
LOST AND FORGOTTEN IN HERE WAS
REAWAKENED AND TELLING THEM BY
TOUCH THIS IS A TRAGEDY THAT IS
NOT HAPPENING ANYMORE.
Reporter: WHILE ONE OF THESE
MEN ACTED AS A LOOKOUT, THE
OTHER ONE WITH BACK AND FORTH
TO THE CASE USING SOMETHING TO
HELP THEM BREAK THE BOX.
BEFORE ANYONE NOTICED, HE
REMOVED THE GOLD BAR AND TUCKED
IT INTO HIS PANTS AND WALKED
OFF WITH IT.
THERE IS THAT SENSE OF
VIOLATION OF HOW COULD THEY DO
THIS?
WHY?
Reporter: THERE WAS ALSO
CRAZY RUMORS AND STORIES GOING
AROUND.
A LOT OF RUMORS ON WHETHER
OR NOT IT WAS AN INSIDE JOB OR
NOT.
AND HOW COULD THEY GET OUT OF
TOWN?
WAS IT BY BOAT, PRIVATE PLANE,
COMMERCIAL, OR CAR?
Reporter: THE QUEST FOR THE
GOLD BAR SET OFF A MANHUNT FOR
THE FUGITIVES.
I AND THE KEY WEST POLICE
CHIEF.
Reporter: INVESTIGATORS
BELIEVE THE MEN IN THE VIDEO
WERE INTERNATIONAL ART THESE
POSING AS ITALIAN TOURIST.
WE TRACK THESE PEOPLE ALL
THE WAY DOWN TO ITALY.
Reporter: BUT IT TURNED OUT
THE ITALIANS WERE NOT INVOLVED.
SEVERAL YEARS LATER, WE GOT
A TIP.
Reporter: THAT TIP LED THEM
TO DO YOU -- THESE TWO PEOPLE.
THE FBI ASKED HIM TO CLEAR UP
THE RUMORS.
HAD THEY GOTTEN AWAY BY BOAT OR
PLANE?
THE TRUTH TURNED OUT TO BE A
LOT LESS INTERESTING.
AFTER MAKING OFF WITH THE GOLD
BAR, THEY GOT IN A GREEN FORD
ESCAPE AND DROVE BACK TO PALM
BEACH COUNTY.
JOHNSON RECENTLY PLED GUILTY
AND WILL NOW TESTIFY AGAINST
HIS PARTNER.
OUR GREATEST FANTASY IS THAT
THAT GOLD BAR WILL COME BACK
AND WE CAN PUT IT ON DISPLAY.
Reporter: A SMALL PORTION OF
THE GOLD BAR HAS BEEN
RECOVERED, BUT THE FATE OF THE
REST REMAINS A MYSTERY.