Thieves steal more than 1,000 items from Oakland museum in ‘brazen’ heist | US crime

Thieves have stolen more than 1,000 items from an Auckland museum. Californiaincluding historical artifacts and jewelry, authorities said this week.

Local officials are working with the FBI to investigate a robbery that occurred earlier this month at a storage facility owned by the Oakland Museum of California.

The Oakland Police Department said in a statement Wednesday that on Oct. 15, shortly before 3:30 a.m., individuals broke into the building and stole hundreds of items from the collection. The missing items included artifacts such as Native American baskets, ivory carvings and daguerreotypes, and laptops.

“The theft that occurred represents a brazen act that deprives the public of our state’s cultural heritage,” Lori Fogarty, executive director and CEO of the Oakland California Museum, said in a statement. “Most of these items were donated to the museum by generous donors. We are working closely with the City of Oakland, the Oakland Police Department and the FBI to secure the return of these items.”

The San Francisco Bay Area museum first opened in 1969, according to the OMCA website. It houses more than 2 million objects, including “original works of art,” historical artifacts and natural specimens. It offers programs aimed at “exploring and uncovering the factors that shape California's character and identity.”

Fogarty told reporters Wednesday that the off-site facility was unoccupied at the time of the robbery and that workers discovered the theft on the morning of Oct. 16. Oaklandside reported. She said it looked “more like a crime of opportunity than a strategic strike.”

The police department is investigating the burglary along with the FBI's Art Crimes Team, a “highly specialized” unit of about 20 agents that investigates theft, fraud and trafficking in antiques and cultural property, the Oakland Police Department said.

The news comes shortly after the robbery of the Louvre in Paris made headlines around the world. The authorities did additional arrests in connection with the incident on Thursday.