The British Museum, a renowned tourist destination in London, has terminated the employment of a staff member as authorities conduct a police investigation into the
reported disappearance, theft, or damage of valuable treasures.
Among the missing items are items of gold, jewelry, and semi-precious stone gems, stored within the museum – one of the United Kingdom's largest cultural attractions. The majority of these items were stored within a designated storeroom, as confirmed by museum officials.
Hartwig Fischer, the Director of the British Museum, expressed the institution's commitment to the retrieval of these missing artifacts. He stated, "This is an extraordinary occurrence. I want to assure all our colleagues that we treat the protection of our entrusted items with utmost gravity."
Fischer also revealed that the museum has already augmented its security measures and has enlisted external experts to meticulously assess the scope of the loss, damage, and theft.
The museum intends to pursue legal action against the dismissed employee. Concurrently, the Metropolitan Police's Economic Crime Command is conducting an investigation, although no arrests have been reported thus far.
In addition to these efforts, the British Museum has initiated an independent security review to enhance its protective measures.
Notably, the items in question, spanning from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD, were not recently displayed but rather reserved for academic and research purposes.
According to information from the PA news agency, the missing items were taken prior to 2023, and the disappearance transpired over a "significant" span of time.
George Osborne, Chairman of the British Museum, affirmed the trustees' concern regarding the situation. He explained, "Earlier this year, when we became aware of the theft of certain collection items, the museum trustees were greatly perturbed." Osborne emphasized the museum's swift response, involving the engagement of law enforcement, implementation of emergency security measures, initiation of an independent review, and utilization of appropriate disciplinary actions.
Director Fischer further conveyed the organization's resolution in resolving this incident and rectifying the situation. Photo by MrsEllacott, Wikimedia commons.