The British Museum is actively pursuing the recovery of roughly 2,000 stolen artefacts, which include gold jewellery and precious gems, according to George Osborne, the museum’s chair, who made the announcement on Saturday.
The British Museum, a renowned London attraction housing treasures such as the Rosetta Stone—an ancient Egyptian relic adorned with hieroglyphs and texts—revealed last week that a staff member had been dismissed following the disappearance of items dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD, taken from a storeroom.
Museum director Hartwig Fischer, acknowledging shortcomings in the investigation into the theft of items from the collection, stated on Friday that he would step down from his role.
George Osborne, a former British finance minister, disclosed on BBC radio that not all of the museum’s vast collection had been adequately cataloged or registered, a situation common among large institutions with collections spanning centuries.
Osborne reported that a “forensic” inquiry was underway to determine the extent of the theft. “We estimate it’s approximately 2,000 items,” he stated cautiously, adding that this figure was still subject to verification. He also mentioned that efforts to recover stolen items had already commenced but provided no specifics on what had been retrieved or how.
Regarding the previous dismissal of warnings about the thefts in 2021, Osborne expressed disbelief in any deliberate cover-up. However, he suggested there might have been a form of “groupthink” within the institution, making it difficult to fathom that an insider was involved in the thefts.
Osborne acknowledged the detrimental impact of the thefts on the museum’s reputation, an institution that prides itself on safeguarding priceless artifacts from diverse cultures worldwide. “That’s why I’m apologizing on behalf of the museum,” he emphasized.
Police confirmed on Thursday that an unnamed individual had been interviewed but not charged in connection with the stolen artifacts.
