Priceless artefacts lifted from the British Museum may have already been destroyed and shipped thousands of miles away, experts fear.
Museum chiefs sacked an employee this week after thousands of items were revealed to have gone missing from the institution’s academic storage facilities.
Police have launched efforts to recover more than 3,000 300 to 600-year-old artefacts, including semi-precious stones and gilded jewellery.
But Christopher Marinello, the founder of Art Recovery International, has warned they are likely already beyond retrieval.
He said thieves aim to make “quick cash” and, without a thought to the artistic quality of the materials, tend to melt them down.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Marinello said whoever stole the items likely melted down any metals “as quickly as possible” and had the gems recut without a thought of their “priceless quality”.
The lawyer used the Reclining Figure, a statue crafted by famed artist Henry Moore, as an example.
Thieves stole the internationally recognised bronze piece from its home in the 72-acre estate of the Henry Moore Foundation in Hertfordshire in December 2005.
Police concluded the figure – which was worth more than £3million – was melted down and sold for approximately £1,500.
Mr Marinello added: “There is no thought of art – criminals are unsophisticated in this sense.
“That is the great tragedy of these incidents.”
Authorities have launched a multi-agency effort to establish how the artefacts were stolen, with Scotland Yard, museum officials, and the British Transport Police all involved.
The man suspected to have been behind the theft has been let go by the museum but not arrested.
British Museum representatives have said the institution plans to pursue legal action.
George Osborne, former UK Chancellor and Chair of the British Museum, said the items were stolen “earlier this year” and that the Trustees have decided to increase security and impose “security measures” following the theft.
He added: “Our priority is now threefold: first, to recover the stolen items; second, to find out what, if anything, could have been done to stop this; and third, to do whatever it takes, with investment in security and collection records, to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
