Thieves Hit Olympia... sad days indeed!

[mwilson603]

Sad to see it happen, although at first glance it doesn't seem like there was much could have been done to stop it in this case.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17071934
regards
Mark

[benito]

Yes ,tragic. Like the theft in the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum ( Boston ).
"In the early morning hours of March 18, 1990, a pair of thieves disguised as Boston police officers entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and roamed the museum's galleries, stealing thirteen works of art.

They gained entry into the museum by stating that they were responding to an emergency call. The guard on duty broke protocol and allowed them entry through the museum’s security door. Once inside, the thieves asked that the guard come around from behind the desk, claiming that they recognized him and that there was a warrant out for his arrest. The guard walked away from the desk and away from the only alarm button. The guard was told to summon the other guard on duty to the security desk, which he did. The thieves then handcuffed both guards and took them into the basement where they were secured to pipes and their hands, feet, and heads duct taped. The two guards were placed 40 yards away from each other in the basement. The next morning, the security guard arriving to relieve the two night guards discovered that the museum had been robbed and notified the police and Director Anne Hawley.[8]

The stolen artworks include The Concert by Vermeer (one of only 34 known works by Vermeer in the world), three works by Rembrandt including The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (the artist’s only known seascape) and a postage-stamp-sized Self-Portrait, five drawings by Degas, Chez Tortoni by Manet, a landscape painting formerly attributed to Rembrandt, and two objects, an ancient Chinese Ku and a finial in the shape of an eagle from a Napoleonic flag.[9] Several empty frames hang in the Dutch Room gallery, both in homage to the missing works and as a placeholder for their eventual return.

The stolen artworks have not yet been returned to the museum. However, the investigation remains an open, active case and a top priority of the museum and of the FBI in Boston. Some media estimates have put the value of the stolen artworks at as much as $500 million, making the theft the largest single property theft in recorded history. An offer of a reward from the Gardner Museum of up to $5 million dollars for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artwork remains open."

[Lloyd Taylor]

Very sad news of the state of play in some Greek cultural heritage sites....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-17/greek-culture-minister-resigns-over-ancient-olympia-theft/3837228/?site=melbourne

Masked men plunder ancient Olympic artefacts
Updated February 17, 2012 21:10:41

Greek culture minister Pavlos Geroulanos resigned on Friday after masked armed robbers stole more than 60 ancient objects of "incalculable" value from a museum in Olympia.

Sixty-eight objects were whisked from a museum dedicated to the ancient Olympic Games after two masked men immobilised the museum's sole female guard as she arrived to take over the early morning shift, officials said.

"There were two of them, and they had a gun," Olympia mayor Thymios Kotzias told Flash Radio.

"They immobilised the guard as the shift changed at 7am, having previously knocked out the alarm.

"We must wait and see what the local archaeology supervisor will say, but the items were of incalculable value."

A government source said Mr Geroulanos had submitted his resignation over the incident, but it was not immediately clear if it had been accepted by prime minister Lucas Papademos.

Olympia, birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, is visited by hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

The incident occurred at the town's second museum, which showcases nearly 500 objects related to the Games, such as clay vessels and bronze discs used in the events, stone tablets and bronze statues of athletes.

Mr Kotzias said no security staff are actually present between 6 and 7am, when the building is guarded by an electronic alarm.

"The museum had never been targeted before," the mayor said.

The main Olympia museum, which is better guarded, features statues, architectural elements and offerings from the sprawling ancient complex where the Games were held from at least 776 BCE to 393 AD.

This is the second major theft to embarrass Greek culture officials in a month as the country grapples with its most serious debt crisis in decades.

In January, a painting personally gifted by Spanish-born master Pablo Picasso to Greece was stolen from the Athens National Gallery along with two other important artworks by Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian and 16th century Italian painter Guglielmo Caccia, better known as Moncalvo.

In that case, the thief or thieves, had knocked out the alarm system and forced open a balcony door at the back of the building, which is located across from one of Athens top hotels.

The gallery was on reduced security staffing owing to a strike.

[Mat]

Wow thats sad. Looks like it was very professional though.

[Lloyd Taylor]

Stolen to order most likely. This material would have such a profile it would be immovable and untouchable in the legitimate antiquities market. Troubled times bring out the thieves, opportunists and parasites in large numbers.

Hopefully, this event will prove to be a wake up call for those charged with the responsibility of safeguarding cultural heritage, because unfortunately the financial strife and associated troubled times are unlikely to recede any time soon. Increased vigilance is required. If not, then I fear the worst is yet to come for the heritage sites and cultural heritage collections.

[Lloyd Taylor]

A bit more background and detail in this story...
http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/12942789/greek-culture-minister-quits-over-ancient-olympia-theft/

ATHENS (AFP) - Armed robbers stole more than 60 priceless artefacts including a gold ring from a Greek museum dedicated to the ancient Olympic Games on Friday, prompting the country's culture minister to resign.

Two masked men took advantage of the fact the building was unguarded for an hour in the early morning, knocked out the alarm, then overpowered the museum's sole female guard when she arrived for her shift, officials said.

"There were two of them, and they had a gun," Olympia Mayor Thymios Kotzias told Flash Radio.

A staff unionist later told ANA that a Kalashnikov assault rifle had been used by the robbers.

"We must wait and see what the local archaeology supervisor will say, but the items were of incalculable value," Kotzias said.

It was the second major theft to embarrass Greek culture officials in a month, prompting Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos to offer his resignation.

"This is a very unpleasant day for us," said the culture ministry's general secretary Lina Mendoni, who rushed to the museum alongside the minister, some 300 kilometres (186 miles) southwest of Athens in the Peloponnese peninsula.

"It's a tragic day for the archaeology family and the ministry," she said.

Greece, rich in archaeological heritage, has been targeted by antiquity smugglers for decades.

Authorities have long been unable to adequately guard key sites such as museums and Byzantine churches scattered across the country, but austerity measures Greece is implementing under its international bailout have forced further cutbacks.

"Clearly the museum's security was insufficient ... to guard a global treasure," Olympia mayor Kotzias later told state television.

A ministry unionist said museums nationwide were over 1,500 guards short of a full complement after over two years of public sector layoffs imposed by the government to address the country's debt crisis.

"All museums have suffered cuts, both in guards and archaeologists, the staff are no longer enough to operate at full shifts," said Ioanna Frangou, general secretary of the union of short-term culture ministry staff.

Olympia, birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, is visited by hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

The incident occurred at the town's second museum, which showcases nearly 500 objects related to the Games, such as clay vessels and bronze discs used in the events, stone tablets and bronze statues of athletes.

The police said "bronze and clay objects and a gold ring" had been removed from display cases at the museum, built on a forested hilltop on the outskirts of the small town of Olympia.

Another official put the number of objects taken at over sixty.

The police placed traffic checkpoints in the area and were examining the museum's cameras for clues, the semi-state Athens News Agency said.

The main Olympia museum, which is better guarded, features statues, architectural elements and offerings from the sprawling ancient complex where the Games were held from at least 776 BC to 393 AD, when they were abolished by the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius.

The flame of the London 2012 Olympics is to be lit in a ceremony amid the ruins of the Temple of Hera, near the ancient stadium, on May 10.

Friday's theft follows that last month of a painting personally gifted by Spanish-born master Pablo Picasso to Greece from the Athens National Gallery.

In that case, the thief or thieves knocked out the alarm system and forced open a balcony door at the back of the building, which is located across from one of Athens top hotels.

The gallery was on reduced security staffing owing to a strike.

Two other important artworks by Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian and 16th century Italian painter Guglielmo Caccia, better known as Moncalvo, were also taken.
The government confirmed Geroulanos had submitted his resignation over the latest incident, but it had not been immediately accepted by Prime Minister Lucas Papademos.

[mwilson603]

As I mentioned this one 2 days ago, maybe the threads should be merged.
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=78223.0
regards
Mark

[benito]

Stolen to order, possibly. Some collectors have no ethics.
And IMO it could be the best for the stolen objects. Impossible to sell in the open market they could never reappear. The thiefs could proceed to destroy them in case of danger. Who knows if this has happened to the objects stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in Boston 21 years ago. Hope not.

[Lloyd Taylor]

As I mentioned this one 2 days ago, maybe the threads should be merged.
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=78223.0

Apologies - I missed your thread and thought the subject had yet to be raised.  

For me the key issue is what Greece and the international community plan to do about it.

If it is as stated that Greece has cut cultural heritage site and museum security staff by 1,500 in the last couple of years, due to fiscal austerity, then there is a very serious issue to be addressed by all. It is one that goes beyond the imposition of Brussels/Berlin/Paris mandated austerity on Greece. The cultural heritage is one of the western democratic world generally, as much as it is of Greece. Yet not a squeak from the international community, nor any effort by the broader Eurozone community to ensure that that heritage is not compromised in the attempts to resolve short term fiscal disarray. Some things go way beyond short term balancing of the books and need to be considered outside of this artifice. In my opinion, this is the responsibility we owe future generations throughout the democratic world and as such must be delivered upon regardless of fiscal restraint in other areas pertaining to current generations.

At the very least, I would have expected the Eurozone finance lords and masters to ring fence cultural heritage from the imposition of enforced austerity. Sadly not so. The holy Euro appears to be the god to which they pray and governs all consideration and actions on the issue. Nothing else is sacred and on the alter of austerity everything it appears is to be sacraficed!

[Lloyd Taylor]

Little care and no responsibility: I guess the buck doesn't actually reach, let alone stop at the ministers desk! Now that's ministerial accountability for you ....

Culture minister's resignation rejected following theft
Written by AFP Wire Service   
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 16:04

ATHENS (AFP) – Greek culture minister Pavlos Geroulanos's offer to resign over a major robbery at a museum in the city of Olympia has been rejected by the country's premier, an official statement said Wednesday.

Geroulanos had submitted his resignation on Friday, after robbers made off with scores of artifacts including items dating back over 3,000 years from a museum in the ancient Greek city of Olympia.

But in a meeting between Geroulanos and Papademos, the culture minister was told his resignation had not been accepted, a statement from the prime minister's office said.

Papademos instead asked the culture minister to "exhaust all avenues" in the probe.

Police and the culture ministry have released a list of 77 items stolen from the Ancient Olympic Games museum.

They include a 3,300-year-old gold ring, a bronze statuette of a victorious athlete, a 2,400-year-old oil jar, clay lamps, bronze tripods and miniature chariot wheels, as well as dozens of idols of charioteers, horses and bulls.

I guess the message is don't hold your breath waiting for an improvement in the state of affairs at heritage sites and museums.

[Xenophon]

This tragic story is a good examplar of why cultural artifacts should be spread around the museums of the world. Concentrating a civilisation's history in one location or country leaves it open to being wiped out with one act of larceny or conflict.

[Joe Sermarini]

Threads merged.  Modern politics deleted.

[Lloyd Taylor]

More of the same but apparently no linkage to the Olympia museum hit .... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17248637

Arrests in Greek antiquities smuggling ring
Greek police investigating antiquities smuggling have arrested 35 people and recovered thousands of ancient coins and other artefacts.

One of the suspects was found with more than 4,000 coins in his possession.

Metal detectors were also found during the raids, which took place in northern and central Greece.

The country's archaeological heritage means it has long been a target for illegal traders. Last month dozens of artefacts were stolen from a museum.

Two masked men took more than 60 objects after overpowering a female guard at the site, dedicated to the history of the ancient Olympic Games in Olympia.

Those items, mostly bronze and clay statuettes, were of "incalculable" value, according to the town's mayor.

Police are expected to release more details of Saturday's operation on Sunday or Monday.

At least these thieves were caught by the authorities, but after what damage to sites and heritage?

[Syltorian]

At least these thieves were caught by the authorities, but after what damage to sites and heritage?

If we're lucky, the thieves did keep some sort of records where they found their stuff. I doubt it, because competent criminals will probably not keep documents the state attorney can use, but it'd be damage control, and that can be done now to salvage a part of the archaeological record. Good thing they were caught, and that laws are getting enforced in this way rather than having innocent collectors and buyers of legally and bona fide acquired items end up having their possessions confiscated or being portrayed as complicit in such activities. I do hope that the items, now they are excavated, are put to some use (at a museum, university, or what have you) rather than disappearing in the evidence lockers. 

Still shocking to her what happened in Olympia. Not to offend the Greeks here, but I wonder how this effects the discussion around the Elgin Marbles. I can only hope that similar events are not repeated at other museums in Greece - or other countries in the same straits or close to follow. It'd be nice if there was a link between the Saturday action and the Olympic museum robbery.

[Lloyd Taylor]

Game keeper turned poacher it seems led the looting ring...

Greek police recover ancient coins, smash smuggling network

(AFP) – 1 day ago

ATHENS — Greek police Sunday said they had arrested 44 people and recovered thousands of ancient coins after busting a smuggling ring.

"Over 8,000 coins of all forms, mainly bronze, and dating from the 6th century BC to the Byzantine period were found," a press statement said.

They also recovered many priceless antiquities including wooden icons dating from the Byzantine period, three golden objects and a plethora of jewellery, as well as 19 metal detectors.

More than 200 police officers raided 55 buildings in 13 prefectures, mainly in northern Greece in an operation that began on Saturday, the statement said.

A 66 year-old man believed to be the mastermind was also arrested.

"The 66-year-old received the artifacts and after evaluating them, put them on sale in foreign countries through a network he had developed," police said.

The man, a retired customs employee, frequently visited Bulgaria, Germany, Switzerland and Britain.

Greece, rich in archaeological heritage, has been targeted by illegal antiques traders for decades.

Over 70 items were stolen last month from the Ancient Olympic Games museum in Olympia when two masked men knocked out the alarm and then overpowered the building's sole female guard when she arrived for her shift.

A month earlier, thieves had broken into the Athens National Gallery and stole a painting personally gifted by Spanish-born master Pablo Picasso to Greece, in addition to two other artworks.

Copyright © 2012 AFP. All rights reserved.

[Lloyd Taylor]

And in another sad twist ... Greek antiquities reburied for lack of funds, which is probably one of the few  options left under the circumstances in which Greece, the birthplace of democracy sadly finds itself.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Greek+antiquities+reburied+lack+funds+report/6240554/story.html

Greek antiquities reburied for lack of funds: report
Lack of funding in crisis-hit Greece has stymied archaeological research and leads experts to rebury valuable discoveries to better protect them, a Greek daily reported on Friday.

"Mother Earth is the best protector of our antiquities," Michalis Tiverios, a professor of archaeology at Thessaloniki's Aristotelio University, told Ta Nea daily on the sidelines of an annual archaeological congress in the city.

Tiverios recently persuaded the culture ministry to rebury a previously-unknown Early Christian basilica, found two years ago during work on Thessaloniki's new underground railway.

"Let us leave our antiquities in the soil, to be found by archaeologists in 10,000 AD, when Greeks and their politicians will perhaps show more respect to their history," said Tiverios, who advises the project.

But even in that case, a shortage of site guards is giving antiquities looters a free hand to operate, Ta Nea said.

"We were unable to carry out excavations in 2011," Pavlos Chrysostomou, a site excavation supervisor in northern Greece, told the newspaper.

"This summer, we found more than 10 pits at the site that were not ours. It was probably 'colleagues' of ours, grave robbers," he said.

Chrysostomou oversees an important excavation at a 20-hectare (50-acre) necropolis in Pella, the capital of the ancient Macedonian kingdom which reached its full expansion in the 4th century BC with the conquests of Alexander the Great.

Among the area's choice finds are gold funerary masks that adorned the graves of Macedonian nobles and prominent warriors.

Masks of this type, among a hoard of other golden grave offerings from the 6th century BC, were found in the possession of smugglers in October.

A committee of archaeologists that evaluated the hoard placed its value at over 11.3 million euros ($15 million), Chrysostomou said.

Greece has been forced to make major spending cuts in return for loans from the EU and the IMF to address its worst debt crisis in decades.

The cutbacks have been followed by two major raids on Greek museums.

In January, a unique Picasso and two other artworks were lifted from the Athens National Gallery. A month later, two armed men stole more than 70 objects from a museum in ancient Olympia.

[rover1.3]

Olympia Museum antiquities recovered, three arrests.
http://www.amna.gr/english/articleview.php?id=1813

[Lloyd Taylor]

Great news. Well done Greek Police for what is clearly a thorough and successful investigation leading to complete recovery and I dare say incarceration of the offenders.  It sends a strong message to looters that is sorely needed in these difficult times and hopefully will act as a deterrent to any others considering pillage.

[areich]

Great. Not just some but all of the stolen items recovered!

[Platon]

I never expected to hear a happy ending to this story! Great work by the Greek police.

And in another sad twist ... Greek antiquities reburied for lack of funds, which is probably one of the few  options left under the circumstances in which Greece, the birthplace of democracy sadly finds itself.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Greek+antiquities+reburied+lack+funds+report/6240554/story.html

Couldn't they just lend the pieces to other European mueseums which I am sure would take good care of them in exchange for letting them display them for a while? Seems the objects are just waiting to get looted. (Also funny how you quoted the Edmonton Journal of all papers, I am from Edmonton!)