British Museum thefts on eBay raise catalog and security questions

The Daily Telegraph reports a troubling tale of losses from the British Museum’s vast collection. Items reportedly stolen over time were allegedly sold on eBay, one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, for as little as £40, about US$50, even though the items were valued at roughly £50,000, or about US$65,000. Jewelry and artifacts from ancient Rome have appeared on the platform since at least 2016, according to the newspaper. A major contributor to the thefts appears to be the lack of a comprehensive, publicly accessible online catalog for a collection that contains around eight million items, making it easier for items to disappear from the museum without immediate notice.