California museum’s collection looted: Over 1,000 items stolen in early morning heist

“They’re not just a loss to the museum,” Fogarty said. “They’re a loss to the public, to our community — and we’re hoping our community can help us bring them home.” She added that the incident appeared to be “a crime of opportunity” rather than a targeted art theft. “We think the thieves found a way to enter the building and grabbed what they could easily find and snatch,” she said.

Among the stolen artefacts are neckpieces by the late artist and metalsmith Florence Resnikoff, scrimshaw walrus tusks, and Native American baskets. Much of the rest, Fogarty said, consisted of 20th-century memorabilia, including athletic awards and political badges.

The Oakland Museum of California’s collection documents the state’s art, history, and natural environment, featuring works by California artists from the late 18th century to the present, along with artefacts, photographs, sound recordings, and natural specimens. The museum has hosted exhibitions on the Black Power movement and student activism.

John Romero, a retired Los Angeles Police Department captain who previously led its commercial crimes unit, told the Los Angeles Times that the stolen items might already have been sold. He said detectives were likely monitoring resale platforms such as Craigslist and eBay, as well as networks that trade in historic and collectible antiques. “These people are interested in fast cash, not the full appraisal value,” Romero said. “They need to get rid of it quickly.”

This is not the first time the museum has faced a theft. In January 2013, an Oakland man broke into the main building and stole a Gold Rush-era jewellery box. That item was later recovered from a pawn shop with the public’s assistance, something Fogarty hopes can happen again.

Oakland Police said they are collaborating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team, which specialises in cases involving theft, forgery, or cultural property trafficking.

The incident occurred just four days before a separate heist at the Louvre in Paris, where thieves stole priceless Napoleonic jewels in broad daylight. While arrests have been made in that case, the jewels remain missing.

Anyone with information about the Oakland theft is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department at (510) 238-3951 or submit a tip to the FBI’s Art Crime Team online or by calling (800) 225-5324.