Oakland Museum Suffers Major Heist: Over 1,000 Artifacts Stolen

Sat Nov 01 2025 13:25:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Oakland Museum of California is grappling with the aftermath of a significant theft where more than 1,000 items from its collection, including priceless artifacts, were taken in a burglary at an off-site storage facility.

Mainly targeting historical memorabilia, the theft included items like jewelry, Native American baskets, and athletic trophies. The museum's director emphasized that these stolen objects represent a loss to the entire community and are pleading for help from the public to recover them. Authorities suspect a crime of opportunity rather than a targeted art theft as investigations continue.

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Museum of California is reeling from a massive theft where more than 1,000 items were stolen from an off-site storage facility during the early morning hours of October 15. The police are investigating the burglary which included a variety of items ranging from priceless metalwork jewelry and Native American baskets to everyday memorabilia like athletic trophies.

Lori Fogarty, the museum’s director, has announced that the investigation is going public in hopes that the community can assist in recovering these significant artifacts. It’s not just a loss to the museum; it’s a loss to the public and the community at large, she stated during a press conference. We hope that our community can help us bring them home.

According to the preliminary findings, it appears to be a crime of opportunity rather than a well-planned art heist. The thieves exploited available access and quickly took what was at hand.

The stolen items include unique creations by the late artist Florence Resnikoff and a pair of scrimshaw tusks. However, much of the loot comprised historical memorabilia, including campaign pins and various athletic awards from the 20th century that resonate with the California experience.

John Romero, a retired LAPD captain, suggested that the stolen goods could already be hitting resale markets like Craigslist and eBay, noting a typical demand for quick cash among such thieves. He underscored the urgency of alerting authorities about any unusual finds at local pawn shops or antique markets.

This incident comes just days after a dramatic theft at the Louvre where priceless Napoleonic jewels were stolen. The Oakland Museum’s artifacts are now becoming a priority for police investigations in collaboration with the FBI’s art crime division.

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to reach out to Oakland police at (510) 238-3951, or submit a tip to the FBI’s Art Crime Team.