British Museum bosses first alerted to thefts in 2021

An creation trader alerted the British Museum to alleged stolen items from the instauration successful 2021 but was told "all objects were accounted for".

Ittai Gradel alleged successful February 2021 helium had seen items online belonging to the museum, according to correspondence seen by BBC News betwixt Mr Gradel and the museum.

Deputy manager Jonathan Williams responded successful July 2021 to Dr Gradel, saying "there was nary proposition of immoderate wrongdoing".

The British Museum has been contacted for comment.

Williams added during the correspondence that determination had been a "thorough investigation" and that the "collection was protected."

The London instauration announced past week that it had sacked a subordinate of unit aft treasures were reported "missing, stolen oregon damaged".

Police are present investigating. A connection issued by the Metropolitan constabulary said: "We person been moving alongside the British Museum.

"There is presently an ongoing probe - determination is nary apprehension and enquiries continue. We volition not beryllium providing immoderate further accusation astatine this time."

The BBC understands that portion determination are unanswered questions for the museum, owed to constabulary involvement, they don't mean to remark further astatine present.

According to the PA quality agency, the missing items are believed to person been taken implicit a "significant" play of time. Some of them reportedly ended up connected eBay, being sold for considerably little than their existent estimated value.

An eBay spokesperson said: "Our dedicated instrumentality enforcement liaison squad is successful adjacent interaction with the Metropolitan Police and is supporting the probe into this case.

"eBay does not tolerate the merchantability of stolen property. If we place that a listing connected our tract is stolen, we instantly region it and enactment with instrumentality enforcement to enactment investigations and support our tract safe."

None of the treasures, which dated from the 15th Century BC to the 19th Century AD, had precocious been connected show and had been kept chiefly for world and probe purposes, the depository said. The bulk of them were kept successful a storeroom.

Dr Gradel's emails suggest helium became suspicious erstwhile helium "stumbled" upon a photograph of a formed of a Roman cameo fragment that helium said had been up for merchantability and had been listed connected the British Museum website but had since been removed.

Dr Gradel besides alleges successful 1 of his emails that a 3rd enactment seller returned a gem to the depository arsenic soon arsenic Dr Gradel told him his suspicions but claims the depository didn't travel this up sufficiently.

In 1 of respective emails helium sent to travel up immoderate progress, this clip to a committee trustee, Dr Gradel accuses the manager - Hartwig Fischer - and Williams of "sweeping it each nether the carpet."

In 1 effect emailed successful October 2022 to a trustee who was pursuing up connected Dr Gradel's concerns, Fischer said determination was "no evidence" of immoderate wrongdoing, adding that the "three items" Dr Gradel had mentioned were "in the collection".

Chair of the depository erstwhile chancellor George Osborne was alerted to Dr Gradel's emails by 1 of the museum's trustees successful October 2022.

According to the emails, Fischer told that trustee that "there is nary grounds to substantiate the allegations".

Osborne told Gradel successful January this twelvemonth that "I person taken your comments precise seriously".

It's present believed that much than 1,500 objects were stolen, damaged and destroyed, successful a situation that is threatening the estimation of the British Museum.

Osborne told the BBC: "Hartwig has been a overmuch respected director. I person been precise wide - arsenic has Hartwig - that his determination was not connected to our announcement past week."