When we look back at 2013, cities worldwide were busy installing video surveillance to help solve crimes. Cameras now watch public streets and office buildings, making it nearly impossible for major events to slip by unnoticed. The power of these eyes was starkly evident on April 15, 2013, when two bombs tore through the Boston Marathon. Thousands of videos and photos captured the chaos, giving investigators crucial clues.
Surveillance has turned many crimes into recorded evidence, but the most sensitive footage stays locked away. Courts seal these tapes to protect victims’ families and stop the material from spreading online. Still, curious minds keep hunting for them. Below are ten genuine videos that remain out of reach on the Internet—most are part of ongoing investigations or contain graphic content.
10 Brussels Airport Diamond Heist Video
On February 18, 2013, eight masked gunmen swiped roughly US$50 million in diamonds from a plane’s belly at Brussels Airport. After breaching a security fence, the thieves—dressed as police—rushed two vehicles straight to the area where a Brink’s armored van was moving the gems onto the aircraft. In just 15 minutes they loaded 130 bags of diamonds into their cars and vanished, never firing a shot despite wielding automatic weapons.
Investigators suspect an inside job: the robbers knew about an unlocked gate, ongoing construction, and the exact moment the diamonds were off‑loaded. Their knowledge of the plane’s hatch and military‑style tactics pointed to prior training. Although the heist was captured by the airport’s security system, the video stays sealed, as authorities fear releasing it could help locate the missing stones.
By May 2013, police across France, Switzerland, and Belgium had arrested more than two dozen suspects, seizing cash and diamonds. Yet a large portion of the loot remains missing. The pattern of February diamond heists—2003 Antwerp, 2005 Schiphol, and this 2013 Brussels raid—suggests a chilling, recurring modus operandi.
9 Sesame Street Episode 847
On February 10, 1976, Sesame Street aired episode #847 featuring Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West. The witch, a cultural icon, visited the street only to lose her broom, which fell into the hands of a boy named David. Refusing to return it, the witch threatened to turn Big Bird into a feather duster. Meanwhile, Oscar the Grouch befriended her, and she tried various disguises to reclaim the broom.
The episode’s curriculum focused on fear and planning, illustrating how the witch devised clever tactics to retrieve her broom. After the broadcast, parents flooded the network with complaints: children were terrified, some couldn’t sleep, and others experienced panic attacks. In response, Sesame Street researchers staged a controlled viewing with parents present. Kids stayed engaged, but the fear factor proved hard to measure.
Consequently, the producers decided never to rebroadcast the episode. It never appeared on DVD or any streaming platform, and the original tape remains sealed, making it impossible to locate online.
8 Armin Meiwes Cannibalism Tape
In 2001, Armin Meiwes posted an ad on The Cannibal Café seeking a willing victim. Bernd Jürgen Armando Brand
8 Tim Treadwell Death Tape
Timothy Treadwell, a bear‑loving “bear‑man,” was mauled alongside his girlfriend Amie Huguenard at Katmai National Park on October 5 2003. Over 13 years Treadwell filmed more than a hundred hours of footage with the grizzlies, which later fed Werner Herzog’s documentary “Grizzly Man.”
In October 2003, Treadwell stayed an extra week hoping to capture a shy bear. On October 5 he called a friend, assuring all was well. The next day a pilot found their abandoned camp; rangers discovered the pair dead, gored by a bear dubbed “The Grinch.”
One of Treadwell’s cameras recorded the attack: the lens was capped, yielding a black video, but the audio captures his frantic screams for most of the six‑minute clip. Near the end, the bear drags him away, then Amie’s screams echo before the tape cuts. Herzog listened to the tape in “Grizzly Man” but never showed it; the original is locked in a bank vault, and a purported leak in 2008 was later debunked.
7 Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Dropping the Bomb
On April 15 2013, two pressure‑cooker bombs ripped through the Boston Marathon, killing three and maiming dozens. Thousands of videos captured the scene, prompting the FBI to crowdsource footage. The brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev were identified, with Dzhokhar seen on surveillance dropping his backpack, the second bomb’s carrier.
The footage proved crucial, yet remains sealed. Conspiracy theories swirled, blaming various parties, but the video’s release is still blocked pending legal proceedings.
6 American Airlines Flight 77 Videos
On September 11 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon, killing 59 aboard and 125 inside the building. Dozens of security cameras recorded the impact, but the FBI confiscated the tapes, releasing only a single blurry frame in 2006. Over 85 tapes remain hidden, fueling speculation and ongoing FOIA lawsuits.
5 Steve Irwin Death Video
Steve Irwin, the beloved “Crocodile Hunter,” died on September 4 2006 after a stingray’s barb pierced his heart while filming “Ocean’s Deadliest.” The tragic moment was captured on a cameraman’s handheld, making it the only known footage of a fatal stingray encounter. The video was seized by authorities and destroyed at Irwin’s family’s request, leaving the public unable to view it.
4 Christine Chubbuck’s Suicide Tape
On July 15 1974, news anchor Christine Chubbuck shot herself live on her show “Suncoast Digest” after a segment on suicide. She announced, “You’re about to see another first—attempted suicide,” then turned a gun on herself. The broadcast cut to black; police seized the tape, which was never released and likely destroyed, keeping the footage forever out of reach.
3 Sandy Hook Surveillance Video
On December 14 2012, Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary, killing 26. The school’s new surveillance system caught his entry, but the video remains sealed, with no stills released. The lack of public footage fuels endless conspiracy theories, despite the tragedy’s documented facts.
2 9/11 Pentagon Gas Station Clip
One of the most sought‑after videos is the CITGO gas‑station camera that captured Flight 77’s approach. Though the FBI seized it, only a brief, blurry frame has been released; the rest stays hidden, sparking ongoing FOIA demands.
1 Boston Marathon Bombing Dzhokhar Footage
The crucial surveillance of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev dropping his backpack at the marathon site remains sealed, a key piece of evidence that investigators argue should stay confidential to protect the investigation’s integrity.