Armed Robbers Take Artifacts from Olympia Museum

[cruisemom42]

This is just such a shame to read:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greece/9088221/Armed-robbers-raid-Ancient-Olympia-museum.html


I always feel sick when I read about museums being robbed or looted. So many times the items are never recovered (or only a few are). It's like destroying one's history and heritage. :(

I wonder why the Minister of Culture resigned? Is it the last straw after all the cutbacks this area has endured over the last few years? I'm pretty sure they are inadequately staffed to do their jobs. For several years now museums have had to cut back on the number of hours they can open. Perhaps security has also suffered.

[Hlitner]

This was actually the 2nd major theft from a Greece musuem since New Years. Apparently there have been major budget cut-backs which had a negative impact on security (there was only a single female guard at the museum at Olympia. Tis a darn shame.

Hank

[nick_arch]

It was a huge shock indeed.

Nevertheless, with all these budget cuts, it was expected it will happen some time.

Olympia Museum was guarded by only one guard that started her work at 8.30pm, arriving at the museum alone without supervision. They simply got her down when she de-activated the alarm to get in, did their "job" and left in 5 - 6 minutes.

It seems it was an "order" theft, meaning they headed directly to specific showcases, got the artifacts and left.

-----------

This was indeed the second major theft from the start of the year.

Both exploited flaws of the system, either small numbers of guards due to budget cuts or substantial design flaws on the guarding procedures.

Private museums in Athens, like the Acropolis Museum or Benaki Museum are guarded as they should and as someone would expect. Nevertheless state - ran museums are unfortunately usually guarded by civil servants, not trained for this specific job.

[numbersix]

So sad--it's one of my favourite small museums (and such an important one, IMO--hope they catch the buggers!

[nick_arch]

Last minute information:

1. We do know the identity of one of the thieves. He is not Greek and he is known to the police authorities. We have part of a finger print and some DNA.

2. We are speaking about three persons. One was waiting at a car nearby. We do have images of two thieves that got in the museum building but three sets of steps on the area outside the museum.

We had a similar case with some icons stolen from a chapel, again somehwere in the Peloponnese. It took some time to find the thieves, more than 9 months, but they were found at the end.

[nick_arch]

This morning:
One person, was adducted early dawn to Pyrgos local police station. It is the same person referred in the last post. Pyrgos is the nearest town to Olympia site.

This is still an adduction, not an arrest.

Police authorities are running tests to cross only evidence they have; that's a piece of cloth left on site with some DNA on it and a small piece of duct tape with a partial fingerprint on. Results will show if we have a standing case.

Authorities announced that research is still goIng on for two more persons, one that was in the museum and another one that was outside at the perimeter, waiting in a car.

[tom_uk]

It is indeed a crying shame about thefts from galleries and museums; though I feel it's because of the risk of damage to the artefacts. (And of course the risk to the staff.) What's always puzzled me, though, is that in the case of truly unique historic objects and artefacts, surely there's no way the thieves can ever capitalise on their theft? The stolen items must be so well known, and catalogued, that if they ever appeared on the market they'd be recognised.

[cruisemom42]

It is indeed a crying shame about thefts from galleries and museums; though I feel it's because of the risk of damage to the artefacts. (And of course the risk to the staff.) What's always puzzled me, though, is that in the case of truly unique historic objects and artefacts, surely there's no way the thieves can ever capitalise on their theft? The stolen items must be so well known, and catalogued, that if they ever appeared on the market they'd be recognised.

I've read about this -- there are wealthy private collectors (and I mean super-wealthy) who will pay big bucks to possess these one-of-a-kind artifacts and/or works of art. Even knowing they can never show them to anyone (except possibly family and trusted friends). Even knowing they were obtained criminally.

It boggles the mind....

[nick_arch]

UPDATE ( November 24th, 2012 ):

3 people were arrested yesterday in Heleia and Athens :) , having in their posession artifacts stolen from the Olympia Museum, last February.
The three arrested are between 35 and 45 years old and they got arrested while negotiating the sell off of some of the artifacts.

More artifacts were found later, hidden in Heleia area ( that's where the museum is ).

Research continues to find the rest of the artifacts and to connect the three arrested with those that stole the artifacts.

Great one.

[KirkNC]

Hopefully all or at least most of the items will be recovered.

[nick_arch]

*Most* artifacts already recovered.

77 artifacts, including pottery from the Geometric Era till the Classis Era ( appx. 800BC till 300BC ) and rings / stamps from the Medieval Times were stolen. Religious figurines were also included in the list of stolen artifacts. First information talks about 74 recovered artifacts.

Arrest was expected after the DNA traces, but what is considered the biggest sucess is the full recovery.

Greek police faces many problems, especially related to the fiscal difficulties the country is going through. A pretty consistent infrastructure though exists, legacy of the 2004 Olympics, especially related to DNA research and information networks / mobilising. The first ensured the arrested criminals would be correctly identified, the second helped to limit chances of moving around and selling the artifacts and finally closed the circle around the thieves so much they were forced to sell locally.

Arrest took place in a hotel in Patras, where the "head" tried to sell a 14th century ring for 300,000 euros / appx. $400,000.

It took 9 months but things finally went perfect. Such a relief after a very very bitter feeling last February.

[nick_arch]

Stolen artifacts here: https://plus.google.com/photos/118113431512834212826/albums/5711255421686539473?banner=pwa

Golden ring referred above can be seen at 4th row.

[cruisemom42]

So happy to hear the thieves were caught and the artifacts recovered -- really excellent news!

I hope they will all be back where they belong before too long, as I'll be visiting Olympia next April.