Antiquities dealer who exposed British Museum thefts dies aged 61
Summary
Dr. Ittai Gradel, a former academic and antiquities dealer, exposed the theft of about 2,000 artefacts from the British Museum. He pushed the museum to report the thefts, which led to a police investigation and the resignation of the museum's director. Dr. Gradel died of cancer at age 61 before the investigation concluded.Key Facts
- Dr. Ittai Gradel was an academic turned antiquities dealer.
- He discovered many artefacts from the British Museum were stolen and sold online, sometimes cheaply on eBay.
- Gradel alerted the museum in 2021, but his warnings were initially ignored.
- In 2023, the museum confirmed 2,000 items were stolen, missing, or damaged.
- The British Museum’s director resigned, admitting the museum did not respond well to early warnings.
- A police investigation into the thefts has been ongoing for more than three years.
- Dr. Gradel received a rare medal from the museum shortly before his death.
- He was worried the case might not be resolved while he was alive and had given statements to police.
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