POLICE said on Thursday that more than 600 items, including military medals and jewellery from a collection documenting links between Britain and countries in the former British Empire, were stolen from a UK museum in September.
Avon and Somerset Police have appealed for information about four men seen on security cameras on September 25 outside a building in Bristol that housed objects from the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection.
"More than 600 artefacts of various descriptions were taken by the offenders," police said in a statement.
Dan Burgan, the officer in the case, said, "The theft of many items which carry a significant cultural value is a significant loss for the city." He added, "These items, many of which were donations, form part of a collection that provides insight into a multi-layered part of British history."
The stolen items included jewellery, military medals, badges, pins and decorative pieces such as carved ivory, silver items and bronze figurines. Police said natural history pieces, including geological specimens, were also taken.
Officers said they want to speak to four unidentified men seen in CCTV images carrying bags. All were wearing caps or hoodies. The burglary took place between 1:00 am and 2:00 am on September 25 in the Cumberland Road area.
The collection holds objects from various regions, including items from Pacific islands and clothing from African nations. It also includes photographs, films, personal papers and sound recordings that provide "insights into diverse lives and landscapes during a challenging and controversial period of history," according to its website.
Philip Walker, head of culture and creative industries at Bristol City Council, said he was "deeply saddened" by the theft. He said the collection documented "the links between Britain and countries formerly part of the British Empire from the late 18th century to the late 20th Century". He added, "The collection is of cultural significance to many countries and provides an invaluable record and insight into the lives of those involved in and affected by the British Empire."
The collection was transferred from the former British Empire & Commonwealth Museum when it closed in 2012. It has since remained under the care of the city council, Bristol Museums and the city archives.
The announcement follows the theft of crown jewels from the Louvre in Paris in October. In August 2023, the British Museum in London said around 1,800 items had been taken from its collections by a former employee, with a few hundred later recovered. The museum's director, Hartwig Fischer, resigned in August 2023 after saying the institution did not act "as it should have" on warnings that items had gone missing.
