Following a theft at the Oakland Museum of California’s (OMCA) off-site storage facility earlier this month, the museum released a statement on Friday afternoon.
At around 3:30 a.m. on October 15, a group of thieves broke into the museum’s off-site storage facility and stole more than 1,000 collections. Some other details about the case were initially withheld to avoid jeopardizing the ongoing investigation by the Oakland Police Department and the FBI’s Art Crimes Unit. Now, with their approval, the museum has issued a statement regarding the events.
“Based on the current findings, investigators believe this was a crime of opportunity rather than a targeted theft,” OCMA’s statement read. “There is no indication that the perpetrators specifically identified the facility as a museum storage room or were looking for specific art or artifacts. Rather, they appear to have entered and taken the most readily available items.”
The museum confirmed that the thieves made off with six Native American baskets, several 19th-century gauze items, several daguerreotypes, modernist metal jewelry and historical memorabilia such as political pins, medals and memorabilia.
Of particular concern are the stolen Native American baskets. The tribes involved asked that their names not be published and that the museum not reveal any other details about the basket.
“This is a loss not only for OMCA, but also for the broader community,” OMCA executive director and CEO Lori Fogarty said in a statement. “Museums have a responsibility to steward California’s historical and cultural heritage with the utmost seriousness and remain committed to recovering stolen items and ensuring they continue to be cared for for generations to come.”
The 100,000-square-foot warehouse houses more than 2 million historical artifacts, many of which have been donated to OMCA.
Anyone with information about the thefts should contact the Oakland Police Department’s Burglary Division at 510-238-3951 or the FBI Art Crimes Unit at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
