OAKLAND, CA – A significant theft at the Oakland Museum of California has left the institution reeling after more than a thousand irreplaceable artifacts were stolen from its off-site storage facility. The stolen items include Native American baskets, jewelry, photographs, and ivory carvings, according to museum officials.
Despite the involvement of the FBI, museum authorities do not believe the heist was a sophisticated operation. Lori Fogerty, the museum’s director, emphasized the historical importance of the stolen items, noting their limited appeal on the black market.
The museum, known for its vast collection of California history, houses over two million items, of which only a small portion can be displayed at any given time. The theft occurred overnight between October 15th and 16th, leaving museum staff devastated.
Fogerty suggested the crime might have been opportunistic, speculating that the thieves may not fully understand the value of their loot. The stolen items include a woven basket, scrimshaw, and an old photograph, among others.
The FBI’s Art Crime Team, a specialized unit with fewer than 20 agents nationwide, is now on the case. The team has expertise in tracking and recovering stolen art, often operating in the shadows of the underground art market.
This incident echoes past troubles for the museum, which was targeted in 2012 and 2013 when a man stole items from the Gold Rush exhibit. In those cases, a pawn shop owner helped recover the stolen goods.
Fogerty hopes that by releasing photos of the missing items, the public might assist in their recovery. She urges anyone who spots suspicious items at auctions, pawn shops, or antique stores to report them.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Paris investigators continue to search for jewels stolen from the Louvre, having arrested two individuals connected to that heist.