Bronze Age gold jewellery stolen in raid on Welsh museum

Police are investigating after Bronze Age gold jewellery was stolen from a popular museum in Wales.

South Wales Police received a report of a burglary at around 12.30am on Monday at St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff.

The force said two suspects forced entry into the main building, where several items, including Bronze Age gold jewellery, were stolen from a display case.

A museum spokesperson said the objects presumed stolen were on display in the ‘Wales is…’ gallery.

St Fagans is an open air museum and one of Wales’s most popular heritage attraction, chronicling historical lifestyle, culture, and architecture of the Welsh people.

“As a museum we are saddened by the events in what was a targeted attack on St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff,” a spokesperson said. “The objects presumed stolen are examples of Bronze Age gold jewellery and were on display in the ‘Wales is…’ gallery.

“We would like to thank South Wales Police for their cooperation in this investigation and their prompt response when they were alerted in the early hours.

“We are also very grateful to the staff members who were on duty overnight, followed protocol and who were thankfully uninjured during the incident.”

The museum is due to host the Museums Association’s annual conference this week, which will go ahead as planned.

The Museums Association said it was “extremely sorry” to hear the news of the break-in and theft, and said: “We know this is a much-loved institution in Wales and internationally, and we hope that items can be recovered as soon as possible.

“We would like to thank South Wales Police for their cooperation in this investigation and their prompt response when they were alerted in the early hours. We are also very grateful to the staff members who were on duty overnight, followed protocol and who were thankfully uninjured during the incident.”

Detective Inspector Bob Chambers, from South Wales Police, said the investigation is ongoing and urged anyone with information to contact the force as soon as possible.

He said: “We would like to thank South Wales Police for their cooperation in this investigation and their prompt response when they were alerted in the early hours.

“We are also very grateful to the staff members who were on duty overnight, followed protocol and who were thankfully uninjured during the incident.”

Anyone with information is asked to please contact South Wales Police quoting 2500319252.