The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Art Crime Unit is working closely with the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) to investigate the identity of the suspects involved in the museum theft case.
In the early hours of October 15th, a theft occurred at an external storage facility of the Oakland Museum, where over a thousand artifacts were stolen. Earlier this week on Monday (November 3rd), the Oakland Police Department and FBI released surveillance footage of two suspects.
The authorities described one of the suspects as a slender male wearing a plaid long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, black shoes, a black knitted hat, and a white mask. The other unidentified suspect is described as muscular, wearing a blue hoodie with white lettering on the front, blue pants, black-and-white sneakers, and black gloves.
The surveillance footage shows the two suspects moving around inside the facility in the first part. The second part shows one of the suspects (with half of their face obscured) attempting to cross a wire fence before seemingly abandoning the action and leaving the camera’s view.
In a Facebook announcement, the police stated, “Investigators urge anyone with information that can help identify the two suspects or recover the stolen artifacts to call the OPD Theft Investigation Unit at 510-238-3951; or visit the FBI website at tips.fbi.gov, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), and submit tips.”
OMCA stated that the burglary was not a targeted operation. The incident took place before 3:30 a.m. on October 15th at the museum’s external storage facility. The case is currently under investigation.
The museum stated, “There are currently no signs indicating that the suspects specifically knew that the location was a storage facility for the museum or targeted specific artworks or artifacts.”
The stolen artifacts, over a thousand in number, mainly consist of historical memorabilia including political badges, medal ribbons, and commemorative tokens.
Some of the artifacts hold special sensitivity, such as 6 pieces of Native American basketry, several 19th-century ivory carvings, and several silver gelatin prints and modernist metal jewelry.
“This is not just a loss for OMCA, but for the entire community,” said Lori Fogarty, Executive Director and CEO of OMCA. “Our museum takes great pride in safeguarding California’s history and cultural heritage. We are committed to recovering the stolen items and ensuring they are preserved for future generations to study and appreciate.”
Established in 1969, OMCA’s collection comprises over 2 million artifacts. The museum stated, “OMCA’s collection spans art, history, and natural sciences, making it a vital resource for understanding California’s diverse history. With a gallery space of over 110,000 square feet (over 10,000 square meters) and a 7-acre (over 28,000 square meters) campus.”