Thief sold stolen gems to at least 45 buyers, museum says

The museum asserts that a former staff member sold stolen gems to at least 45 buyers, prompting legal action.

The museum launches proceedings against a former member of staff who they believe stole items.

The High Court has mandated the release of eBay and PayPal records associated with the eBay account of the suspect, former curator Dr. Peter Higgs. The museum asserts that these records hold evidence of its items being sold online. Dr. Higgs reportedly plans to challenge these allegations. Although he was unable to attend the proceedings due to illness, the court was informed that he was cognizant of the hearing.

The museum informed the court that they have uncovered evidence indicating that Dr. Higgs had been involved in selling items from the collection for more than a decade, reaching out to at least 45 buyers across the globe. Furthermore, he attempted to conceal his actions by employing aliases, forging documents, and tampering with records.

Additionally, the court has mandated Dr. Higgs to disclose any information he possesses regarding the items sold from the collection and their current locations.

The museum stated that numerous missing and stolen items originated from unregistered collections stored without individual records in the museum’s catalogues.

In court, the museum’s legal representatives, Daniel Burgess and Warren Fitt, detailed that a 1993 audit of a storeroom revealed 1,449 unregistered items. However, a subsequent audit in 2023 found that 1,161 of these items, approximately 80%, were missing from the same storeroom.

Dr. Higgs, who was employed in the museum’s department of Greece and Rome from 1999 until the summer of 2023, has refuted all allegations.

In January 2021, he was elevated to the role of acting department keeper, a position characterized by Mr. Burgess as being “highly senior and esteemed.”

The museum showcased a notable instance concerning an item listed by Dr. Higgs on eBay, which was subsequently taken down. They believed the evidence linking him to the item was particularly compelling.

In this case, a cameo fragment, officially registered as part of the museum’s collection, was advertised on Dr. Higgs’ eBay account before swiftly being removed from sale a few hours later.

During the court proceedings, the museum presented evidence indicating that Dr. Higgs had altered the museum’s record of the item on the same day. Specifically, he removed a picture of the item that had been originally displayed alongside its catalogue entry.

Mr. Burgess, representing the museum legally, informed the court that 356 stolen items have been returned to the museum thus far. He emphasized that any additional information could greatly aid in the recovery of further missing items.

In 2021, Mr. Burgess stated that the museum has reason to believe that Dr. Higgs attempted to conceal his actions within the museum after suspicions were raised about him. At the time, Dr. Higgs served as the acting head of the department of Greece and Rome.

According to court proceedings, the suspect altered at least 83 digital internal records pertaining to stolen, damaged, or missing items.

The court heard that in August 2023, the Metropolitan Police conducted a search of the suspect’s residence and discovered a collection of ancient bronze coins and medals. The museum asserts that this collection corresponds to both registered and unregistered coins housed in the museum’s Greek and Roman department. Dr. Higgs allegedly refuted this claim, stating to the museum that the coins and medals were inherited from a deceased relative.

Furthermore, the police seized handwritten notes and printed instructions detailing how to manipulate the museum’s records.

In her ruling, Justice Williams approved the British Museum’s petition for Dr. Higgs to divulge details pertaining to items removed from the collection and their current locations. Additionally, she granted their plea for access to his eBay and PayPal records.

This revelation has sent shockwaves through the art and museum community. The audacity and scale of this scheme are beyond belief. Can you imagine the nerve it takes to pull off something like this? It’s a stark reminder of the lengths people will go to for personal gain. The museum authorities are undoubtedly in for some tough times, trying to recover these precious gems. Let’s hope that justice is served and that the stolen treasures find their way back to their rightful place. Stay tuned as we unravel this fascinating tale of thievery and intrigue!

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