ittai has since handed over the gems he believes belong to the museum.ind other missing artefacts. to paris... ..at a meeting with a collector ittai sold gems to. hi, lovely to meet you. the collector has asked us not to show his face. he never imagined these items could have belonged to the british museum. very, very sad story. but i'm happy it's going back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at the british museum, dr peter higgs, was sacked in connection with the thefts. he denies any wrongdoing and the police are still investigating. our investigation has discovered that some of the items the british museum says have disappeared have been on quite a journey. two of the gems were unwittingly put on display at another museum, in germany, and 260 have ended up in washington, dc — the fbi is investigating. we've had exclusive access to the british museum's own recovery programme. it still hasn't been able to prove in most cases that the objects belong to the museum, because so many were never catalogued. it has now begun to register all its collection. ther

and a meeting with a collector ittai sold gems too. ittai sold gems to. hi, lovely to meet you.w his face. he never imagined these items could have belonged to the british museum. very, very sad story, but i am happy it's going back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at the british museum, doctor peter higgs, was sacked in connection with the thefts. he denies any wrongdoing and the police are still investigating. we have had exclusive access to the british museum's own recovery programme. it still has not been able to prove in most cases that the objects belong to the museum because so many were never catalogued. it has now begun to register all its collection. there were things we could have done better as a museum and we have apologised. the museum today a couple of years on as a result is much more open and much more transparent. the british museum says it has recovered almost half of the 1500 items it believes were stolen or missing. but it is likely many others, particularly priceless ancient, gold jewellery, will never be found and hundreds of its artefacts have been damag

ittai has since handed over the gems he believes belong to the museum.aris... ..and a meeting with a collector ittai sold gems to. hi, lovely to meet you. the collector has asked us not to show his face. he never imagined these items could've belonged to the british museum. very, very sad story. but i'm happy it's going back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at the british museum, dr peter higgs, was sacked in connection with the thefts. he denies any wrongdoing, and the police are still investigating. our investigation has discovered that some of the items the british museum says have disappeared have been on quite a journey. two of the gems were unwittingly put on display at another museum, in germany, and 260 have ended up in washington, dc. the fbi is investigating. we've had exclusive access to the british museum's own recovery programme. it still hasn't been able to prove in most cases that the objects belong to the museum because so many were never catalogued. it's now begun to register all its collection. there were things - that we could've done

ittai has since handed over the gems he believes belong to the museum.a meeting with a collector ittai sold gems to. hi, lovely to meet you. the collector has asked us not to show his face. he never imagined these items could've belonged to the british museum. very, very sad story. but i'm happy it's going back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at the british museum, dr peter higgs, was sacked in connection with the thefts. he denies any wrongdoing, and the police are still investigating. our investigation has discovered that some of the items the british museum says have disappeared have been on quite a journey. two of the gems were unwittingly put on display at another museum, in germany, and 260 have ended up in washington, dc. the fbi is investigating. we've had exclusive access to the british museum's own recovery programme. it still hasn't been able to prove in most cases that the objects belong to the museum because so many were never catalogued. it's now begun to register all its collection. there were things - that we could've done better as a m

ittai has since handed over the gems he believes belong to the museum.and a meeting with a collector ittai sold gems to. hi, lovely to meet you. the collector has asked us not to show his face. he never imagined these items could've belonged to the british museum. very, very sad story. but i'm happy it's going back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at the british museum, dr peter higgs, was sacked in connection with the thefts. he denies any wrongdoing, and the police are still investigating. our investigation has discovered that some of the items the british museum says have disappeared have been on quite a journey. two of the gems were unwittingly put on display at another museum, in germany, and 260 have ended up in washington, dc. the fbi is investigating. we've had exclusive access to the british museum's own recovery programme. it still hasn't been able to prove in most cases that the objects belong to the museum because so many were never catalogued. it's now begun to register all its collection. there were things that we could've done better as a

ittai has since handed over the gems he believes belonged to the museum.llector has asked us not to show his face. he never imagined these items could have belonged to the british museum.— british museum. very, very sad sto , british museum. very, very sad story. but _ british museum. very, very sad story. but i _ british museum. very, very sad story. but i am _ british museum. very, very sad story, but i am glad _ british museum. very, very sad story, but i am glad they - british museum. very, very sad story, but i am glad they are i british museum. very, very sad i story, but i am glad they are going back to _ story, but i am glad they are going back to the — story, but i am glad they are going back to the museum. in story, but i am glad they are going back to the museum.— back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at _ back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at the _ back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at the british _ back to the museum. in 2023, a curator at the british museum, | curator at the british museum, doctor peter higgs, was sacked in connectio

_ apologised to ittai. what are the museum saying now? they i apologised to ittai. the director calls me and says, things have been stolen from the strongroom. and that's when i immediately said, well, hang on, that must be linked to the e—mail i saw a couple of months ago. director at the was a bit sceptical, but i was absolutely sure. it was too coincidental. and i said, we should call the police that day. last year, the british museum director— last year, the british museum director howard fisher and the deputy— director howard fisher and the deputy director left their positions. jonathan williams did not provide _ positions. jonathan williams did not provide a _ positions. jonathan williams did not provide a comment for our series but his regular— provide a comment for our series but his regular nation reflected the responsibilities i took as a director— responsibilities i took as a director and on behalf of my colleagues for the flaws in the british— colleagues for the flaws in the british museum's first inquiry, said howard _ british museum's first inquiry, sa

danish antiquities dealer ittai gradel is the man who first warned the british museum that an insider was stealing its treasures. three pieces i am bringing back to the museum. he'd bought these ancient gems and hundreds of others in good faith. but when he realised they may be stolen, and tried to raise the alarm, the museum brushed him off. these items were sold for such measly amounts that this suggested to me that what i'd discovered was only the tip of a much larger iceberg. eventually, one of its senior curators, peter higgs, was sacked. he denies any wrongdoing, and the police are still investigating. we've been hunting down artefacts the british museum says have disappeared. we've discovered that two gems were unwittingly put on display at another museum in germany. we've also established that around 260 ended up in washington, dc — the fbi has been investigating. but many of the objects hadn't been catalogued, which means the museum hasn't yet been able to prove they were actually stolen. it's since begun to register all its objects, and has improved security. the truth is, m

danish antiquities dealer ittai gradel is the man who first warned the british museum that an insideree pieces i am bringing back to the museum. he'd bought these ancient gems and hundreds of others in good faith. but when he realised they may be stolen, and tried to raise the alarm, the museum brushed him off. these items were sold for such measly amounts that this suggested to me that what i'd discovered was only the tip of a much larger iceberg. eventually, one of its senior curators, peter higgs, was sacked. he denies any wrongdoing, and the police are still investigating. we've been hunting down artefacts the british museum says have disappeared.

danish antiquities dealer ittai gradel is the man who first warned the british museum that an insidernging back to the museum. he'd bought these ancient gems and hundreds of others in good faith. but when he realised they may be stolen, and tried to raise the alarm, the museum brushed him off. these items were sold for such measly amounts that this suggested to me that what i'd discovered was only the tip of a much larger iceberg. eventually, one of its senior curators, peter higgs, was sacked. he denies any wrongdoing, and the police are still investigating. we've been hunting down artefacts the british museum says have disappeared. we've discovered that two gems were unwittingly put on display at another museum in germany. we've also established that around 260 ended up in washington, dc — the fbi has been investigating. but many of the objects hadn't been catalogued, which means the museum hasn't yet been able to prove they were actually stolen. it's since begun to register all its objects, and has improved security. the truth is, mistakes were made. but i think in life it's how yo