Antiquities dealer who exposed thefts at British Museum dies aged 61

The Guardian ^ | 28 April 2026 | Nadia Khomami

[BlackVeil]

The academic turned antiquities dealer who exposed the theft of hundreds of artefacts from the British Museum has died aged 61.

Dr Ittai Gradel, from Denmark, alerted the British Museum and the police after he was able to buy dozens of museum artefacts on eBay over the course of several years.

Gradel died of renal cancer days after receiving a rarely presented medal from the museum in recognition of what its director called his “very significant contribution”, according to the BBC.

A police investigation is still ongoing, more than three years after the museum reported the thefts to Scotland Yard after pressure from Gradel. Before his death in a Danish hospice, Gradel – who would have been a key witness in any trial – told the BBC it was “a bit annoying” he wouldn’t live to see the resolution of the case. ...

[BlackVeil]

Full story at link. Worth reading all it - unbelievable! Cover ups all the way and it is still not resolved.

[BlackVeil]

GGG ping.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BlackVeil!

[hal ogen]

Likely stolen by some government “workers” there. Cover up.

[vetvetdoug]

This has happened at many museums here in the US also. I observed items taken from Civil War Museums being sold at CW shows..What happens is that many artifacts are stored at sites and not displayed and employees see these as ripe for the taking. Government employees see these as “theirs” for the taking.

[faithhopecharity]

we happen to have a worthwhile private collection that we wanted to donate to a local museum. unfortunately, the people running it were looting their existing collections for private sales. they were selling items straight from the display/shelves, escorting interested buyers straight in ... for cash purchases on the spot.