'Roman Artifact Special Price 70,000 Won' Was It Real... 1,500 Items Stolen from UK Museum

An Employee Secretly Stole and Damaged Artifacts
Some Sold Online at Low Prices
Museum Director: "Cannot Tolerate Sale of Stolen Goods"

Reports have emerged that more than 1,500 items from the British Museum's collection have been stolen or damaged, with some of the missing artifacts reportedly being sold at bargain prices on online auction sites.

The UK Telegraph reported on the 21st (local time) that a British Museum employee is suspected of stealing or destroying over 1,500 items over several years. Most of the missing items are known to be jewelry and gems created between the 15th and 19th centuries BCE. These artifacts have not yet been made public and were primarily kept for academic or research purposes.

The British Museum Photo by AP Yonhap News

The Telegraph pointed out that the British Museum is refusing to disclose the scale and details of the stolen items. Local media estimate that the thefts occurred over a considerable period.

As the controversy grew, the British Museum announced it had dismissed one employee responsible for management. According to the Telegraph, he was a curator in charge of Mediterranean cultures who had worked at the museum for over 30 years.

BBC reported that the museum has taken legal action against the dismissed employee and has begun an internal security review. However, it added that he has not been confirmed as a theft suspect. The police stated, "An investigation is currently underway, and no arrests have been made."

Museum Director Hartwig Fischer described the incident as "highly unusual" and said, "We will make every effort to recover the collection."

The controversy intensified as reports emerged that some of the missing items were being sold at bargain prices on the online auction site eBay. On eBay, Roman-era artifacts valued between ?25,000 and ?50,000 (approximately 43 million to 85 million KRW) were listed for ?40 (about 68,000 KRW).

An eBay spokesperson told the BBC, "We are working closely and cooperating with the police," adding, "We do not tolerate the sale of stolen goods."

This is not the first time the British Museum has experienced theft from its collection. In 2002, the head of an ancient Greek marble statue created 2,500 years ago was stolen.

Meanwhile, the British Museum holds at least 8 million items, of which only about 1%, or 80,000 items, are publicly exhibited.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.