Scandalous figure in museum theft

An independent investigation into the thousands of artifacts stolen from the British Museum in London, one of the world's most important museums, has been completed. According to a report by DW Türkçe, the museum administration stated that the investigation concluded that approximately 2,000 objects, mostly consisting of uncatalogued jewelry and ornaments from ancient Greek and Roman collections, were stolen or damaged.

The statement noted that only 351 of these objects have been recovered so far, highlighting the difficulty of the recovery process.

George Osborne, Chair of the British Museum's Board of Trustees, told the BBC that a staff member suspected of involvement in the thefts refused to cooperate with them. Stating that this person had been dismissed, Osborne said they were trying to understand the motives of the staff member believed to be responsible for the incident, but had received no response.

Historical artifacts sold on eBay

The investigation also revealed that the artifacts were sold on the online auction site eBay. Although the scale of the trade involving the stolen items has not been disclosed due to the ongoing judicial investigation, the BBC reported that the suspect is estimated to have made 100,000 pounds (116,000 euros) from the sales on eBay.

An antique dealer who discovered the British Museum's artifacts on eBay and warned the museum administration two years ago stated that the items were finding buyers for an average of 50 pounds (50 euros).

Following the exposure of the theft in August, museum director Hartwig Fischer, who had been in office since 2016, resigned.

News Source: 12punto