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The Museums Association has said ‘categorically’ that theft from collections is ‘incredibly rare, after more than 1,500 priceless artefacts were found to have been stolen from the British Museum
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 25 Aug 2023
More than 1,500 items are thought to have been stolen from the British Museum by a former employee Credit: Tamara Menzi on Unsplash
Following revelations that more than 1,500 priceless artefacts have been stolen from the British Museum’s collection, the Museums Association has stated “categorically”, that theft from collections are “incredibly rare”.
Former British Museum employee Peter Higgs is alleged to have stolen somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 pieces from the institution’s collection, with the value of the missing items thought to be valued in the tens of millions of pounds.
The Museums Association - a UK-wide membership body representing over 10,000 people who work in museums and galleries and over 1,500 institutions - has said that while theft from members of the public can happen “inside jobs” are extremely unusual.
“The recent theft of a substantial number of items from the British Museum has focused attention on the security of our collections and has led to speculation that theft by members of staff is a widespread but hidden problem in museums,” said the statement.
“We can categorically say that theft from collections by people who work in museums is, fortunately, incredibly rare.
“Stealing from the collection goes against our ethical code, which clearly states that museum workers should act in the public interest, take care of collections, and act with integrity.
“Museums should have clear procedures in place, including whistleblowing policies, so that they can safeguard collections and be alert to any attempts, internal or external, to steal from them. Unfortunately the systemic underfunding of the sector over the past ten years has undermined some of these procedures. Restructures and redundancies have led to a loss of expertise and a weakening of the normal systems of checks and balances that take place within institutions.
“Looking to the future we would like to see investment in museums – in the people who work in them and in collections and buildings – so that we can continue to safeguard and share collections with communities across the UK.”
Peter Higgs was the British Museum’s curator of Greek collections, Greek sculpture and the Hellenistic period until he was sacked. His family have said that he has “not done anything”, adding that he had “lost all faith in the museum”.
On Thursday (August 24), the Metropolitan Police said it had interviewed a man, though added that no arrests had been made.
“We have worked closely with the British Museum and will continue to do so,” said a police statement. “We will not be providing any further information at this time. Inquiries continue.”
Museums and galleries
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