A fascinating revelation has emerged regarding a former staff member of the British Museum, who allegedly stole over 350 artworks during his tenure in the prints and drawings department in the 1970s. This story is detailed in Barnaby Phillips's upcoming book, The African Kingdom of Gold, which explores the theme of stolen treasures.
According to reports, the staff member, Nigel Peverett, was apprehended in 1992 while attempting to leave the museum with 35 prints valued at approximately £5,000 (around $6,700). Upon further investigation, authorities discovered an additional 169 stolen prints at his residence in Kent, collectively worth more than $36,000. Peverett confessed to having sold 150 more prints prior to his arrest.
In a cunning scheme, Peverett would enter the museum with a single bag and exit with multiple artworks. To conceal their origins, he used a razor to remove catalog numbers or altered the pieces before selling them through a dealer at the Portobello Road antiques market. Reports indicate that while the British Museum managed to recover 55 of the stolen prints, at least 95 remain unaccounted for.
Responding to these historical thefts, a spokesperson for the British Museum emphasized that these incidents occurred long ago, with Peverett being caught and prosecuted at the time. They acknowledged that theft poses an ongoing risk for museums and highlighted their commitment to safeguarding their collections. In 2023, the museum announced an ambitious plan to digitize its entire collection within five years, aiming to enhance security and accessibility.
This digitization initiative encompasses 2.4 million records and follows previous incidents of theft, including the case of Peter Higgs, a former curator who stole 2,000 items, including valuable jewelry and gems. By making their collection more widely known, the British Museum hopes to deter future thefts and promote cultural heritage.