By Danica Kirka
The British Museum said Wednesday that a member of its staff has been dismissed after items dating back as far as the 15th century B.C. were found to be missing, stolen or damaged.
The museum said it has also ordered an independent review of security and a ‘‘vigorous program to recover the missing items.″
The stolen artifacts include gold jewelry and gems of semi-precious stones and glass dating from the 15th century B.C. to the 19th century A.D. Most were small items kept in a storeroom and none had been on display recently, the museum said.
“Our priority is now threefold: first, to recover the stolen items; second, to find out what, if anything, could have been done to stop this; and third, to do whatever it takes, with investment in security and collection records, to make sure this doesn’t happen again,″ said George Osborne, the museum’s chair.
“This incident only reinforces the case for the reimagination of the museum we have embarked upon," Osborne said.
The museum said legal action would be taken against the dismissed staff member and that the matter was under investigation by London’s Metropolitan Police Service.
The 264-year-old British Museum is a major London tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the world who come to see a vast collection of artifacts ranging from the Rosetta Stone that unlocked the language of ancient Egypt to scrolls bearing 12th century Chinese poetry and masks created by the indigenous people of Canada.
But the museum has also attracted controversy because it has resisted calls from communities around the world to return items of historical significance that were acquired during the era of the British Empire. The most famous of these disputes include marble carvings from the Parthenon in Greece and the Benin bronzes from west Africa.
Hartwig Fischer, the director of the British Museum, apologized and said the institution was determined to put things right.
“This is a highly unusual incident,'' said Fischer said. “I know I speak for all colleagues when I say that we take the safeguarding of all the items in our care extremely seriously.''
Your Future Home hosts Baker Machado and Jill Wagner discuss all the recent headlines in the real estate sector...everything from an uptick in the housing market to the top states predicted to have the biggest housing boom this year.
Let's say you're searching for a home and have already pinpointed the area in which you want to live. How can you then find the best deal within that location? Seth Keslow, Real Estate Broker, joins Your Future Home to discuss what amenities of a town could cost you a little more money when purchasing a home.
"Girls" star and director Lena Dunham is sparking a national dialogue on women's health after revealing she had a hysterectomy. LiveScience's Sara Miller and SELF's Casey Gueren join Cheddar to reveal why the star elected to have the procedure.
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is doubling down on the app redesign. Shake Shack plans to open 32-35 new locations this year. Miso Robotics, the firm behind automated burger-flipper, "Flippy," The company behind a patty-flipping robot just got a major influx of cash.
Technology has taken over many aspects of our lives, but it's also changing the game when it comes to real estate. Taylor Wilding, Head of Business Development at roOomy joins Your Future Home to discuss how buying houses via augmented reality is helping homeowners make better decisions.
Beatrice Verhoeven, film reporter at The Wrap, says the movie's $25.2 million haul on opening night could just give a taste of how big its box office could be.
The FCC Chairman is being investigated for potential collusion. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is defending the controversial app redesign after growing backlash. The much-anticipated Marvel film "Black Panther" hits theaters Friday. Skip Kodak, SVP of LEGO Americas Group, joins Cheddar to discuss the 60th anniversary of the company.
Your Future Home hosts Baker Machado and Jill Wagner discuss all the recent headlines in the real estate sector...everything from an uptick in the housing market to the top states predicted to have the biggest housing boom this year.
LEGO Americas Group Senior Vice President Skip Kodak talks about the company's 60th anniversary. Kodak also discusses the challenges LEGO faces in an increasingly tech conscious world.
Jillian Hastings, head of business development for HowUDish, explains how the new app works. HowUDish allows users to find meals that work for their diets, no matter where they are.
