Egyptian heist: man arrested
A MAN has been arrested following the theft of £150,000 of Egyptian artefacts from a Batley museum.
A human skull was among the haul of items, which mainly included figurines, called Shabtis, worth 300 to 3,000 each.
The shabtis are carved from stone and jade and were buried with the dead to work as servants in the afterlife.
In Egypt's Old Kingdom (Around 3100 – 2125BC) servants were always buried with their masters, although later the small models made from stone or wood were used instead.
They are approximately five inches tall and some are decorated with hieroglyphics. They are in various states of decay.
The artefacts were stolen from the Bagshaw Museum, in Wilton Park, in 2005, after burglars smashed a double-glazed window and broke through shutters to reach them, causing 5,000 damage.
The raid happened between Friday March 11, and Saturday March 12, 2005.
Security has since been improved at the museum, which is currently closed for refurbishment and improvements.
A 35-year-old man was arrested in the Rochdale area and bailed until October.
Police searched an address in Rochdale but none of the stolen items was found.
Police are still appealing for information as to the whereabouts of these artefacts.
Anyone with information should call Det Con Martin Gumersell on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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