British Museum says staff member dismissed after items were found to be missing, stolen or damaged

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By DANICA KIRKA
Updated 12:47 PM CDT, August 16, 2023

LONDON (AP) — The British Museum said Wednesday that a member of its staff has been dismissed after items dating back as far as the 15th century B.C. were found to be missing, stolen or damaged.

The museum said it has also ordered an independent review of security and a ‘‘vigorous program to recover the missing items.″

The stolen artifacts include gold jewelry and gems of semi-precious stones and glass dating from the 15th century B.C. to the 19th century A.D. Most were small items kept in a storeroom and none had been on display recently, the museum said.

“Our priority is now threefold: first, to recover the stolen items; second, to find out what, if anything, could have been done to stop this; and third, to do whatever it takes, with investment in security and collection records, to make sure this doesn’t happen again,″ said George Osborne, the museum’s chair.




Read more: https://apnews.com/article/british-museum-theft-collection-cafcc301cf3d8118d0c491f36f4a8118

[Collimator]

1. It's the British Museum.

Almost everything there is stolen.

[BadgerMom]

8. Comment of the day!

[wolfie001]

12. Hi

Have a nice day. Couldn't delete my double post.

[lapucelle]

2. This is an incredible story, but there is a certain delicious irony

considering that the British Museum is on the other side of the fence concerning priceless "stolen" (and definitely damaged) ancient artifacts.

After 220 Years, the Fate of the Parthenon Marbles Rests in Secret Talks

The British Museum and Greece’s prime minister are getting closer to a deal on returning the so-called Elgin Marbles to Athens. But key differences remain.

When Lord Elgin, a British aristocrat, sailed home from Greece in the early 1800s, he also shipped to England some of the greatest treasures of antiquity: a collection that included statues of Greek gods and carved frieze panels depicting battling centaurs that once decorated the Parthenon in Athens.

Torn in some cases from the temple walls, ostensibly with the permission of the Ottomans who then ruled Greece, the so-called Elgin Marbles were later sold to the British government and became some of the most storied artifacts in the collection of the British Museum.

But they also became, almost from the very day they were removed, the subject of perhaps the world’s most notorious cultural dispute.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/17/arts/design/parthenon-sculptures-elgin-marbles-negotiations.html

[Alexander Of Assyria]

3. Colonial Britains robbed treasures are being parted with rather reluctantly...criminal reluctance.

[LiberalFighter]

4. The person is not going to be prosecuted?

[lapucelle]

5. Which person? Lord Elgin died in 1841.

I would assume that the employee in the current story will be prosecuted, but the museum is probably more interested in getting the stuff back.

[CTyankee]

7. It could be that the robbers just don't know that they really can't sell the stuff. But could hold

it hostage for political reasons. Lock the stuff up at the train station and anonymously let the authorities know where it is once their demands have been met.

[lapucelle]

10. The thief may have damaged the pieces trying to pry out gemstones.

They're easier to fence (or sell on Ebay).

[Ray Bruns]

6. The person dismissed was quoted as saying, "The trick is to walk out like you own it."

[mahina]

9. Yikes!

[Marcuse]

11. Nt