A number of artefacts from India dating back to the British colonial era are among more than 600 “high value” objects stolen in a burglary at a Bristol museum storage facility, Avon and Somerset Police said on Thursday. The items were taken from a building housing the Bristol Museum’s British Empire and Commonwealth collection in the Cumberland Basin area of the south-west England city.
Police said the break-in occurred in the early hours of September 25, between 1 am and 2 am, but details of the theft were made public only this week as part of a fresh appeal for information. CCTV images released by the force show four male suspects, all wearing caps or hooded tops and carrying bags, whom detectives want to identify in connection with the burglary.
More than 600 artefacts of “various descriptions” were removed, including an ivory Buddha, a carved ivory elephant ornament, and a waist belt buckle believed to have belonged to an East India Company officer. The haul also includes military insignia, jewellery, and other decorative objects documenting the history of the British Empire and its former colonies, including India.
Detective Constable Dan Burgan of Avon and Somerset Police described the incident as a “significant loss” for the city, noting that many of the stolen pieces were donations that formed part of a collection intended to shed light on a multi-layered chapter of British history. The museum has said the British Empire and Commonwealth collection was assembled to illustrate everyday life and official roles of people who lived and worked across the empire, using household objects, personal souvenirs and documents.
Officers have urged anyone who recognises the men in the CCTV footage or has information about the whereabouts of the artefacts to contact the force or report anonymously via Crimestoppers. Police have also appealed to antiques dealers, auction houses and collectors to be alert to attempts to sell items matching the descriptions of the stolen objects.
Cover image: A carved ivory Buddha and a belt buckle from the East India Company uniform were among the items taken
Athmaja Biju is the Editor at Abir Pothi. She is a Translator and Writer working on Visual Culture.
