Earlier this month, the Oakland Museum of California was robbed of over 1,000 historical artifacts. The theft occurred before 3:30 am on October 15th in a remote storage facility of the museum, as announced by the Oakland Police Department (OPD) on October 29th. Unknown individuals broke into the building and stole items including jewelry, laptops, Native American woven baskets, and other artifacts. The OPD is collaborating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate the case.
In a statement, Lori Fogarty, the museum’s Executive Director and CEO, expressed that the theft was a blatant looting of public property and California’s cultural heritage. Most of these artifacts were generously donated to the museum by contributors. Fogarty mentioned that they are closely working with the Oakland city government, OPD, and the FBI to ensure the return of the stolen items to the museum.
According to the statement, the FBI’s Art Crime Team has been engaged in the investigation. Established in 2004, the team specializes in investigating and recovering stolen art pieces, with approximately 20 agents across the United States dedicated to handling art-related crimes such as art theft, fraud, forgery, and illegal activities involving the trafficking of antiques and cultural properties.
The FBI’s website highlights that art and cultural property crime results in billions of dollars in losses annually. Since 2004, the team has successfully recovered over 20,000 items with a total value exceeding $1 billion.
Authorities have released photos of some of the stolen artifacts, including the “Slot-Hinged Titanium Neckpiece” created by Florence Resnikoff in 1982, the half-plate daguerreotype of Lucy Dodge Johnson taken by Robert H. Vance around 1854, along with a leather case, and the “Rutilated Quartz Dome Neckpiece” crafted by Florence Resnikoff in 1992.
The total value of the stolen items and the exact location of the storage facility have not been disclosed by the police. No arrests have been made at present. Officials urge anyone with information to contact the Oakland Police Department or the FBI’s Art Crime Team.
The Oakland Museum theft took place just four days before the global shock of the theft at the Louvre Museum in Paris. As of October 30th, French authorities had apprehended 7 suspects in connection with the theft that occurred during daytime on the 19th, with the stolen artworks valued at €88 million (approximately $120 million) and described as priceless in cultural value.