The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Art Crime Unit is closely collaborating with the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) to track down the suspects involved in the museum theft case.
On the morning of October 15th, a theft occurred at the external storage facility of the Oakland Museum, where over a thousand cultural artifacts were stolen.
Earlier this week on Monday (November 3rd), the Oakland PD and FBI released surveillance footage of two suspects.
One of the suspects was described by authorities as a slender male wearing a plaid long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, black shoes, a black knitted cap, and a white mask. The other unidentified suspect was described as muscular, wearing a blue hoodie with white lettering on the chest, blue pants, black and white sneakers, and black gloves.
The surveillance footage shows the suspects moving around inside the facility in the first part, with one of them (partially concealing his face) attempting to cross a wire fence before ultimately giving up and leaving the camera’s field of view.
In a Facebook post, the police department urged the public to contact the OPD Theft Investigation Unit at 510-238-3951 if they have any information that could help identify the suspects or recover the stolen artifacts. They can also provide tips on the FBI website or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
OMCA stated that the burglary was not targeted and took place at the museum’s external storage facility before 3:30 am on October 15th. The investigation into the case is ongoing.
The museum mentioned, “There is currently no indication that the suspects were specifically aware that the location was a museum storage or targeting specific artworks or artifacts.”
The stolen items, over a thousand in total, mostly consist of historical memorabilia such as political badges, ribboned medals, and commemorative coins.
Some of the items stolen are particularly sensitive, including six Native American woven baskets, several 19th-century ivory carvings, as well as various silver gelatin prints and modernist metalwork jewelry.
“This is not just a loss for OMCA, but for the entire community,” said Lori Fogarty, OMCA’s Executive Director and CEO. “The museum is deeply committed to safeguarding California’s historical and cultural heritage, and we are dedicated to recovering the stolen items to ensure they are preserved and studied for future generations.”
Established in 1969, OMCA houses over two million artifacts encompassing art, history, and natural science. The museum stated, “OMCA’s collections are crucial resources for understanding the diverse history of California. With an exhibition space of over 110,000 square feet (more than 10,000 square meters) and a campus spanning 7 acres (over 28,000 square meters).”