The British Museum announced on Wednesday that an employee has been laid off after an internal verification raised concerns about several items from the collection being stolen or damaged. The Metropolitan Police Economic Crimes Department is examining the matter, and the museum issued a formal statement to share these steps with the public.
Most of the discovered objects are small pieces stored away from the public galleries. They include jewellery components and related artefacts, with some items dating back to the 15th century before the Christian era. None of the pieces had recent public display and many were kept for preservation and scholarly research. The loss or harm of these items raises questions about inventory control, handling procedures, and the safeguards needed for fragile heritage pieces.
The museum has confirmed that an independent review will be led by Lucy D’Orsi, head of the British Transport Police, to assess security protocols and to propose practical improvements. In addition, a program will be launched to locate missing items and recover any that can be retrieved, working in close coordination with law enforcement and security experts. The institution stresses that it remains committed to transparency as the investigation unfolds.
Hartwig Fischer, director of the British Museum, expressed disappointment over the unusual incident and emphasized the importance of safeguarding cultural assets. He noted that the institution has already started strengthening security measures and has engaged external specialists to support a comprehensive, item-by-item inventory. The goal is to understand precisely what is missing, what has been damaged, and what might have been stolen. This thorough accounting is intended to sharpen recovery efforts and prevent a recurrence.