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London, UK--In a shocking revelation, historical jewelry and precious gemstones have been reported missing from the British Museum's storerooms. A staff member has been terminated in light of this unsettling discovery, and legal actions are being pursued against the individual.

[Image via Wikimedia Commons]

According to a news report published in Antiques Trade Gadget, the Metropolitan Police's Economic Crime Command is actively investigating the situation. Additionally, the museum has commissioned an independent inquiry spearheaded by ex-trustee Sir Nigel Boardman and Lucy D’Orsi, the head of the British Transport Police.

It's believed that the invaluable artifacts, ranging from 1500 BC to the 19th century, disappeared gradually over an extended duration. Most of these treasures were primarily reserved for scholarly and research studies and weren't exhibited to the public recently.

The report noted that while certain media outlets have pointed fingers at specific individuals, the British Museum has maintained discretion, refraining from discussing names or releasing images of the absent items due to the ongoing police probe.

In the report, George Osborne, the museum's chairperson, articulated the institution's commitment to addressing the incident thoroughly: “We called in the police, imposed emergency measures to increase security, set up an independent review into what happened, and lessons to learn, and used all the disciplinary powers available to us to deal with the individual we believe to be responsible."

Hartwig Fischer, the museum's director, expressed regret and reassurance in the report: “This is a highly unusual incident. The museum apologises for what has happened, but we have now brought an end to this – and we are determined to put things right," he stated. "We have already tightened our security arrangements and we are working alongside outside experts to complete a definitive account of what is missing, damaged, and stolen. This will allow us to throw our efforts into the recovery of objects.”

Read the original Antiques Trade Gadget report.