OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Police in California are investigating the theft of more than 1,000 items from a museum’s collection including metalwork jewelry, Native American baskets, and everyday items like athletic trophies that tell the story of the Golden State.
The burglary occurred in the early morning hours of Oct. 15 at an off-site storage facility of the Oakland Museum of California, Oakland Police said in a news release Wednesday.
Lori Fogarty, the museum’s director, stated that the investigation is going public because the stolen artifacts might surface in flea markets, antique shops, or pawn shops. “They’re not just a loss to the museum,” she remarked. “They’re a loss to the public, to our community and we’re hoping our community can help us bring them home.”
Fogarty noted that the crime seemed opportunistic rather than a calculated art theft. “We think the thieves found a way to enter the building, grabbed what they could easily find, and made a quick exit,” she explained.
The stolen items comprise neckpieces by the late artist Florence Resnikoff, a pair of scrimshaw whale tusks, and various pieces of 20th-century memorabilia, including campaign pins and athletic awards.
John Romero, a former Los Angeles police captain, expressed concerns that the stolen items might already be sold since the burglary occurred two weeks ago. He indicated that detectives might be targeting resale platforms like Craigslist and eBay, where stolen artifacts are often quickly offloaded for cash.
In 2013, a similar break-in at the same museum led to the theft of a jewelry box from the California Gold Rush era, which was traced thanks to public assistance. Fogarty hopes the community can again assist in recovering these cultural treasures.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Oakland police or the FBI's Art Crime Team.
