British Museum sacks workers member over lacking treasures

A British Museum worker has been reportedly faraway from the job after “treasures” on the museum had been reported ‘stolen’, ‘missing’ or ‘damaged’. According to experiences, gold, jewelry, and gems of semi-precious stones have gone lacking from the museum. Notably, the British Museum is without doubt one of the most important vacationer sights within the UK, the place guests can see objects taken by the British throughout their colonial rule internationally, together with India. Around six million individuals go to the museum yearly.

The majority of the objects which were reported stolen, lacking or broken had been stored in a storeroom. Director of the British Museum Hartwig Fischer stated in a press release that they’d attempt to “recover the objects”. Following the incident, British Museum has began independently reviewing its safety.

Fischer stated, “This is a highly unusual incident. I know I speak for all colleagues when I say that we take safeguarding all the items in our care extremely seriously. We have already tightened our security arrangements and are working alongside outside experts to complete a definitive account of what is missing, damaged and stolen.”

He added that the organisation would “put things right”. However, it shouldn’t be understood in a manner that the museum has any plans to return the treasures and priceless historic objects to the international locations of origin.

The museum can be planning to take authorized motion towards the workers member. The investigation has been handed over to the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police. So far, they haven’t arrested anybody within the matter.

Reportedly, the lacking, stolen or broken objects had been dated from the fifteenth Century BC to the nineteenth Century AD. They weren’t stored on show in latest occasions and had been accessible for educational and analysis functions solely.

The PA information company reported that the investigators consider that the objects had been taken earlier than 2023 over a major interval. Chair of the British Museum George Osborne stated, “The trustees of the British Museum were extremely concerned when we learnt earlier this year that items from the collection had been stolen. We called in the police, imposed emergency measures to increase security, set up an independent review into what happened and lessons to learn, and used all the disciplinary powers available to us to deal with the individual we believe to be responsible.”

Former trustee of the museum, Sir Nigel Broadman, and Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi of the British Transport Police will lead the impartial evaluate of the museum safety. They will advocate adjustments that the museum should deliver to make sure future safety. Furthermore, they can even begin “a vigorous programme to recover the missing items,” stated the museum.

In a press release, Nigel stated, “It will be a painstaking job, involving internal and external experts, but this is an absolute priority, however long it takes, and we are grateful for the help we have already received.”

British Museum has a historical past of thefts

This just isn’t the primary time objects have gone lacking from the museum. Several cash and medals had been stolen again within the Seventies. In 1993, thieves broke in and stole Roman cash. In 2002, 2,500 -year-old 12cm excessive Greek statue was reported stolen. In 2004, Chinese jewelry went lacking from the museum. In 2017, a GBP 750,000 Cartier Diamond Ring was reported lacking from the gathering. Notably, the ring was stolen in 2011, but it surely got here to the general public’s information in 2017.