British Museum Heist: CCTV Footage Reveals Suspects; 600+ Treasures Still Missing, Including Indian Artefacts

The Burglary Happened Between 1:00 am and 2:00 am on September 25 in the City's Cumberland Road Area

The British Museum has admitted that Indian artefacts were part of a major theft involving hundreds of precious objects. The local police on Thursday (December 11, 2025) released snaps from a CCTV clip showing four accused entering the premises.

The footage raised questions about systemic failures and operational negligence.

Indian Artefacts Stolen

Jewellery, military medals, badges and pins, geological specimens, carved ivory, silverware, and bronze figurines were some items stolen from the museum, according to the news agency report.

Items from India were also part of these 600+ artefacts related to the history of the British Empire and Commonwealth.

“Artefacts like an ivory Buddha and a waist belt buckle belonging to an East India Company officer were also stolen,” reported PTI.

The heist took place at around 2 am on September 25 after four men broke into a building in the Cumberland Road area.

Ongoing Investigation

The Avon and Somerset Police force has released the images of the accused and sought help from people in identifying them. The police said that the missing items had “significant cultural value”.

"These items, many of which were donations, form part of a collection that provides insight into a multi-layered part of British history, and we are hoping that members of the public can help us to bring those responsible to justice," said DC Dan Burgan, one of the investigating officers in the case.

Hunt on Four Suspects

The descriptions of the suspects provided by the police are:

A white male of medium to stocky build who was wearing a white cap, black jacket, light-coloured trousers, and black trainers.

A white male of slim build wearing a grey hooded jacket, black trousers, and black trainers.

A white male wearing a green cap, black jacket, light-coloured shorts, and white trainers, who notably appears to walk with a slight limp in his right leg.

A white male of large build who was wearing a distinctive two-toned orange and navy-black puffed jacket, along with black trousers and black and white trainers.

Dan Burgan said, “Inquiries so far have included significant CCTV reviews, forensic investigations, and liaising with the museum officials.”

Philip Walker, the head of culture and creative industries at Bristol City Council, confirmed that security at the Cumberland Road facility had been tightened following the incident.

The British Museum in London revealed that over 1,800 items had been stolen from its world-renowned collections by a former employee in August 2023. Among these, only a few hundred were later recovered.