Before stealing millions worth of jewels at the Louvre Museum, another grand heist took place at the Oakland Museum of California on October 15.
In a press release, the Oakland Police announced 1,000 artifacts were reported missing in the early morning at 3:30 am at the museum’s off-site storage facility. An investigation is underway.
“The theft that occurred represents a brazen act that robs the public of our state’s cultural heritage,” said Oakland Museum of California Executive Director and CEO Lori Fogarty in the release.
According to the reported details, the suspects entered the facility and took items such as Native American baskets, jewelry, and other historic artifacts. Some in particular were a necklace, along with a set of gems and a tusk.
The list of stolen items also included laptops, with Fogarty calling the heist one of opportunity. She believes the culprits found a way inside and grabbed what they could easily find, instead of being carefully planned.
While a full list of the stolen objects has not been released, Fogarty says many were given to the museum as generous donations. The museum is working closely with local police and the FBI.
According to the official press release, “The FBI Art Crime Team is a highly specialized unit of approximately 20 agents across the United States who are tasked with investigating all matters related to art, whether it be theft of artwork, fraud, forgery, or, in this case, antiquities and cultural property trafficking.”
John Romero, retired Los Angeles Police Department captain, adds that it’s likely the stolen artifacts are already circulating online for purchase. He explains that the thieves are looking for “fast cash” and to get rid of the items quickly instead of gaining full monetary value for the stolen artifacts.
