By Rochelle Steinhaus
Court TV

Though the hunt is on for those responsible for the Gardner heist, the two mysterious men who pulled off the biggest art theft in history may have reason rest easy. According to Massachusetts state law, as long as the pair do not possess the art or were not responsible for masterminding it, they cannot be prosecuted for the robbery. That's because the statute of limitations for robbery in that state lapsed six years ago.

In one of the most unregulated industries in the world, legal issues regarding art thefts remain some of the most complicated. And since art that is recovered is often discovered in a different country from where it was stolen, discrepancies in systems of law further complicate legal actions for victims to recover their property.

Depending on where a work of art is discovered could have much to do with who the law favors - the theft victim or the good-faith purchaser. U.S. laws generally favor the victim, for example, because a thief cannot pass "good title" to even an unsuspecting a purchaser. No laws exist requiring sellers of art to verify whether a work has been stolen, however, though the major worldwide auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's make it their policy.

In an attempt to unify the laws, several international organizations have set forth agreements which member nations have signed.

The following are some of the laws and international agreements regarding art theft.