[MSN] 28 Years Sought for Suspects in Usak Museum Theft

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

28 Years Sought for Suspects in Usak Museum Theft 
By Cihan News Agency 
Published: Thursday, July 13, 2006 
zaman.com 


The indictment file regarding the theft of historical artifacts, including
the 'Lydian Hoard', from Uşak Museum has been completed. 

The Usak prosecution office seeks up to 28 years imprisonment for the seven
suspects, three of whom are still at large. 

The suspects have been indicted on charges of embezzlement and of smuggling
historical artifacts. 

A policeman has also been accused of not informing the authorities about the
theft. 

In June, nine suspects including Usak museum director were arrested on
charges of 'smuggling historical artifacts as a group' and 'failure to give
information regarding embezzlement and evidence of crime.' 

An antique gold seahorse brooch and some other pieces, which are part of an
unique 6th century BC Lydian collection, had been replaced with fake
artifacts in the Usak Museum. 

The brooch was part of the so-called Lydian Hoard, a collection of 363
silver, gold and glass pieces unearthed in the 1960s in burial mounds near
Usak and subsequently smuggled abroad. 

Some pieces were put on display at the Metropolitan Museum in New York in
1985, when Turkey launched a 2.5-million-dollar (two-million-euro) legal
battle to reclaim them. 

The treasures were returned to Turkey in 1993 and put on display in Usak in
1996. 

http://www.zaman.com/?bl=hotnews&alt=&trh=20060713&hn=34731