The Inside Job: Who is Protecting Art Museums from Themselves?

By Lily Elkwood

When most people think of art theft, they imagine something out of a spy movie, a villain trying to steal a masterpiece or a criminal mastermind in his evil lair plotting how to evade the highest security measures. In many cases, art thieves are the very individuals responsible for taking care of museums.^[1] The security guards, the curators, the researchers, and even the summer intern are “the criminal masterminds” stealing from some of the most important cultural institutions in the world.

The Issue

Ittai Gradel, a gem dealer, was searching eBay when he found what was advertised as a 19th century glass gem.^[2] With his expertise, Gradel quickly realized it was much more valuable; the item was a Roman Medusa cameo from the second century.^[3] He bought the coin for £15 plus postage and sold it for thousands.^[4] Grabel then followed the seller, Sultan 1966.^[5] For years, Grabel continued to find undervalued collectibles on Sultan 1966’s page, such as a ring from the Ptolemaic kingdom and a fragment of a sardonyx cameo from Roman times.^[6] Grabel began to investigate, and using his keen memory, he discovered that some of these items were in a catalog for the British museum.^[7] Grabel’s research was not limited to the items for sale, but the identity of the man behind the account. The ebay register said the creator of this mysterious account was Paul Higgins, and then later to Peter Higgs, a curator in the British Museum.^[8] While Grabel continued to investigate, Higgs was promoted to keeper of the Greek Collections.^[9] Grabel grew angry and emailed museum officials warning that there was a thief in their midst.^[10] An investigation was announced and days later Higgs was dismissed.^[11]