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.''
Brent Butler, host of PopDust Presents, and Trey Williams, Media and Entertainment reporter at Marketwatch, discuss Netflix's upcoming release of its Q4 earnings and whether we can expect the streaming service to perform as well this time around as it has in the past.
"Hearts Beat Loud" Director Brett Haley says he's dreamt about premiering a film at the film festival since he was a child and calls it an honor. He joins us with stars Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons.
WWE wrestlers Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, and AJ Styles join us at the NYSE. Reigns says stepping into the ring is like "Broadway with body slams."
The viral and dangerous internet challenge that has teens eating laundry detergent Tide Pods has put Procter & Gamble in PR crisis mode. Blaire Nicole, Founder & CEO of Media Moguls PR, joined Cheddar to explain the best way for brands to handle such an event.
Sometimes the first impression someone has of you is from researching your profiles and news of you online. Making a good first impression is always critical, which is why BrandYourself has been working since 2012 to help people take control of their online identity.
The days of going through a travel agent are long gone. Utrip is a new platform that utilizes A.I. and big data to help users create their dream vacations all around the world.
Wheelook is a new social platform that is promising users Internet fame. The platform encourages authentic content and growth. Is Wheelook the new Instagram?
The 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is around the corner. The race starts January 25th and goes until the 28th. To celebrate the upcoming race, Acura Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves and IMSA President Scott Atherton rang the NYSE Closing Bell and stopped by Cheddar to explore the work that has gone into this competition.
Amazon acquired and then killed off wine selling website Wine.Woot. Now, the founder of Woot and co-founder of Wine.Woot are back with a new wine startup. Casemates connects wine lovers with wineries around the country.
In this week's episode of The Crypto Craze Cheddar Anchors Brad Smith and Baker Machado explain the biggest trends in the market. Cable and satellite entertainment company Starz filed a petition, asking the FCC to step in to resolve a fight with Altice. Facebook announces an update to its news policy. Amazon is increasing its prices.
