The individual who is accused of theft from the institution worked for 30 years at the British Museum, specifically in the Greek antiquities section. Objects were put up for sale on the Internet, and the British Museum did nothing to stop it. The person suspected of being responsible was fired a few months ago, and his family disputes everything.
The 56-year-old conservator Peter Higgs, who served as the curator of Mediterranean cultures until he was fired a few weeks ago, is shown here.
He is regarded as a renowned authority on antiquities and has even authored books that go along with some of the most significant displays at the museum. He was also a member of the Museum's team that tracked down stolen artifacts and either displayed them in London or restored them to their rightful owners.
According to the Telegraph, Higgs, a father of two, had been employed by the institution since 1993. Higgs claimed in an interview from last year that he chose to study archaeology because, as a child, regular trips to the Museum with his parents sparked his curiosity.
When his bosses accused him of stealing objects dated from 1,500 BC up until the 19th century AD, including gold jewelry, semi-precious stones, and glass, he lost his position. The items were available to researchers even though they weren't part of the Museum's exhibits.
The items have long since vanished from the museum's vaults. On eBay, some have been for sale since 2016. It is mentioned that the things that had been placed on sale were included in the catalogs, making it simple to find them.
The British Museum received a tip concerning unlawful activities from an unnamed antiquities expert in 2020, but according to the Telegraph, they didn't take any action until this year, when they fired Higgs. Higgs posted under an alias on eBay, but electronic trails led to his Twitter account, where he used his legal identity.
Given that the items were offered for auction, both the Museum and the Police are currently conducting investigations.
Higgs' family is adamant about his innocence and is confident that he will clear his name.
Higgs is highly liked by Museum staff, according to his son, who also noted that, in contrast to what one might anticipate, he was not very well compensated. He claimed that "his name was dragged through the mud and demonized."
