British Museum Dismisses Staff Member for Suspected Theft and Damage of Artifacts from Collection

The British Museum has announced the dismissal of a staff member on suspicion of stealing and damaging artifacts from the museum’s collection. The museum said in a press release sent to CBS News on Thursday that items including “gold jewelry and gems of semi-precious stones and glass dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD” 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.” Most of the items were small and kept in a storeroom, and none had been on display recently.

The British Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of artifacts, and the theft and damage of these items is a serious concern. The museum is taking action to recover the stolen items, investigate what could have been done to prevent the theft, and invest in security and collection records to ensure the safety of the artifacts.

The museum has not released any further information about the incident, and the identity of the staff member has not been made public. The museum is working with the police to investigate the incident and recover the stolen items.