Post by Taxigirl on Oct 6, 2004 10:04:23 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3718294.stm
About £60,000 worth of objects have been stolen from the Victoria and Albert Museum's ceramics collection.
A cabinet containing the nine antiques, which date from the 15th to the 19th Centuries, was smashed at the central London museum on Monday.
The objects stolen consisted of three small cups, two miniature animal figures, a bowl, two small ornamental plaques and a small ritual cylinder.
A security review has been launched and Scotland Yard is investigating.
'Well organised theft'
The cylinder, which is valued at £20,000 and dates back to 1,000 BC, is the most highly prized object of all those stolen.
All the items are made of jade and are a dark green-brown colour.
V&A's director Mark Jones said: "This appears to have been a well organised theft and the intention may be to sell these objects quickly.
"We appeal to anyone who suspects that they are being offered these stolen objects to report this to the police immediately."
The thieves used instruments to smash the cabinet in the afternoon, shortly before the start of the private view for the Black and British Style exhibition.
About £60,000 worth of objects have been stolen from the Victoria and Albert Museum's ceramics collection.
A cabinet containing the nine antiques, which date from the 15th to the 19th Centuries, was smashed at the central London museum on Monday.
The objects stolen consisted of three small cups, two miniature animal figures, a bowl, two small ornamental plaques and a small ritual cylinder.
A security review has been launched and Scotland Yard is investigating.
'Well organised theft'
The cylinder, which is valued at £20,000 and dates back to 1,000 BC, is the most highly prized object of all those stolen.
All the items are made of jade and are a dark green-brown colour.
V&A's director Mark Jones said: "This appears to have been a well organised theft and the intention may be to sell these objects quickly.
"We appeal to anyone who suspects that they are being offered these stolen objects to report this to the police immediately."
The thieves used instruments to smash the cabinet in the afternoon, shortly before the start of the private view for the Black and British Style exhibition.