[MSN] Greek police arrest Culture Ministry employee for antiquity theft

[Museum Security Network Mailing list]

Greek police arrest Culture Ministry employee for antiquity theft  
Posted : Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:26:03 GMT 
Author : DPA  

Athens - Greek police arrested a Culture Ministry employee on charges of
antiquities theft after discovering dozens of ancient artefacts and
religious icons and coins hidden in his home, reports said. A search of the
man's home in central Athens turned up dozens of amphoras, or ancient
ceramic jugs, used to store wine and oil, as well as bronze coins dating to
the 4th century BC and two Byzantine religious icons. 

The 61-year-old reportedly told police that he had inherited the artefacts
from his grandfather, but archaeological experts said the items had been
illegally excavated. 

Greece's culture minister has cracked down on the illegal smuggling and
excavation of thousands of ancient artefacts currently housed in museums and
private collections around the world. 

Greek authorities have charged the former curator of the Paul Getty Museum
in Los Angeles, Marion True with theft and the illegal sale of a 4th century
BC gold funerary wreath to the museum in 1993 while she was antiquities
curator. 

The Getty museum returned the wreath to Athens earlier this year. 

True will be tried in an antiquities smuggling case on November 27 in Athens
after a prosecutor postponed her trial when her lawyer petitioned the court
to throw out the smuggling charges. 

She has denied any wrongdoing.