The British Museum in London has terminated an employee and police are conducting an investigation after reports of "missing, stolen, or damaged" artifacts.
Gold, jewelry, and semiprecious stone gems were among the items stolen from the greatest tourist attraction in the United Kingdom. According to the museum, the majority of the objects were stored in a storage area.
The director of the British Museum, Hartwig Fischer, stated that the institution would "concentrate on the recovery of objects."
He continued by saying that this was an extremely rare occurrence. Hartwig Fischer stated “When I say that we treat the protection of all of the goods that are in our care with the utmost seriousness, I am confident that I speak for all of my coworkers.We have already taken further precautions to ensure the safety of our property, and in conjunction with professionals from the outside, we are compiling an exhaustive list of everything that has been lost, destroyed, or taken.”
In addition, the museum stated that they would pursue legal action against the employee who was terminated. The Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police is conducting an investigation.
Additionally, the British Museum has begun an independent assessment of security. The museum stated that none of the artifacts, dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD, had recently been on exhibit and were primarily kept for academic and research purposes.
The PA news agency reported that it believed the items were removed before 2023 and over a significant period of time.
George Osborne, the chairman of the British Museum, stated that when trustees learned earlier this year that objects from the collection had been stolen, they were exceedingly alarmed. He added that they called the police, instituted emergency measures to increase security, initiated an independent investigation into what transpired and the lessons to be learned, and implemented all disciplinary measures against the individual we believe to be responsible.
Mr. Fischer went on to say that the company has put an end to this and was determined to put things right. Sir Nigel Boardman, a former trustee of the museum, and Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi of the British Transport Police will be in charge of leading the independent review of the museum.
According to the museum, they will initiate a vigorous program to recover the missing items" and give advice regarding future security arrangements. In addition, they will search for missing goods.
Sir Nigel said that it will be a painstaking job, involving internal and external experts, but this is an absolute priority, however long it takes, and that they are grateful for the help they have already received.
Each year, more than six million people pay a visit to the tourist attraction that is located in Bloomsbury.
The Parthenon sculptures, often referred to as the Elgin Marbles, are included in its collection, which spans six continents and two million years of history. The future of these sculptures is a topic that has been the subject of great debate.
