مصر: ضبط موظفة بالمتحف المصري بتهمة سرقة أسورة ذهبية نادرة

In an exciting development, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior announced today (Thursday) the arrest of the suspects involved in the theft of rare gold bracelets from inside the Egyptian Museum, five days after the discovery of their disappearance.

According to an official statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, the disappearance of the gold bracelet, which dates back to the Late Period (about 3300 years ago, specifically from the 21st dynasty during the era of Eastern kings), was discovered from inside a safe in the restoration lab within the museum.

Restoration Specialist Behind the Theft

Investigations began immediately after a report was filed by the museum's curator and another restoration specialist, which revealed that the main perpetrator was a restoration specialist working at the museum.

The accused exploited her position to access the safe, where she stole the bracelet and then sold it to a trader she knew for 180,000 Egyptian pounds.

The ministry's statement confirmed that the workshop owner subsequently sold the rare gold bracelet to a worker at a gold foundry for 194,000 pounds (about $4,027), where it was melted down along with other pieces to reshape it.

In a bold move, the bracelet was melted down to hide its traces, meaning it was lost forever as an original artifact. Nevertheless, security forces succeeded in arresting the thief and the trader, recovering the full amount by tracking financial transactions and witness testimonies.

Confessions of the Accused

The restoration specialist at the Egyptian Museum accused of stealing the gold bracelet confessed to stealing a royal bracelet belonging to King Bsusens from inside the museum during her work.

The accused stated in her confessions that she works as a restoration specialist at the museum and managed to deceive those present, obtaining it from inside a safe and then leaving with it before handing it over to a silver trader she knew, who delivered it to the owner of a jewelry workshop.

Details of the Theft

The incident, which was officially reported on September 13, revealed the involvement of an employee in the museum's restoration department. Investigations were able to uncover the circumstances of the crime and recover the money obtained from the sale of the artifact.

The bracelet, weighing about 600 grams of pure gold, was part of a rare archaeological collection reflecting the arts of ancient Pharaonic craftsmanship and is considered a unique royal piece. Dr. Magdy Shaker, a senior archaeologist, stated in press remarks that the bracelet is very rare and dates back to one of the kings of the 21st dynasty, making it of immense historical value. He pointed out that the theft occurred despite the presence of security measures, but it revealed gaps in the security system within the museum. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities expressed its shock at the incident, stating in its statement that it had taken all necessary legal measures as soon as it learned of the matter, including referring the case to the Public Prosecution and notifying the relevant international authorities to prevent the circulation of any remnants of the piece.