A few hours after closing time one Saturday in May last year, a man broke into the front entrance of Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton. Ignoring the tills and merchandise in the shop nearby, he headed straight for the museum’s star exhibit, the medieval Wenlok Jug – one of only four such artefacts remaining worldwide.
CCTV footage shows the man using a heavy metal drain cover to smash through the high-security display case that housed the jug, before cramming it into a shoulder bag and exiting the building without a second glance. The whole thing was over in minutes – and although the jug was later recovered in a storage lock-up, the museum is still feeling the after-effects of the crime 18 months on.
“We’re delighted to have it back but it isn’t back on display yet. We’ve taken the last six months to review security and spent the best part of £50,000 on improvements,” says Karen Perkins, the director of arts and museums at Luton Culture.
“It’s had a really devastating impact. Insurance premiums have gone through the roof and our insurers now question what objects we want to put on display or use in teaching sessions.
“They asked us to put a replica of the jug on display – but what are museums for if they’re not about allowing the public access to authentic objects?”
Scrap value
The loss of the artefact also had a significant effect on the museum’s staff and visitors. “The public were very positive and we didn’t get any criticism, but our site staff took it particularly badly,” Perkins says. “It felt like a personal assault on them and it took them a while to get over it. Our visitors were really shocked too as they felt a lot of ownership over the jug.”
The artefact was well known locally because the museum had waged a high-profile fundraising campaign in 2005 to raise £750,000 to prevent it from being sold abroad. This led investigators to wonder whether it was stolen to claim whatever reward would be offered for its recovery.
“Anyone could have come forward and say they found it in a bush somewhere,” Perkins says. “My dread is that this could be the beginning of a new trend.”
The jug was found in the possession of two drug dealers and the actual thief has not been caught, so the reason it was stolen remains a mystery. “It had some small scuffing around the spout and body but we’ll leave it as it is,” Perkins says. “The damage is part of the object’s history now.”
The theft of the Wenlok Jug is one of a number of high-profile crimes to hit the UK’s cultural heritage in recent years. Just a month before, thefts of rare Chinese artefacts from the Oriental Museum at Durham University and the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge made headlines around the world.
This came at a time when heritage institutions were already on high alert following a spate of thefts across Europe targeting rhino horn.
Police believe the targeting of rhino horn and Oriental objects in Europe is a result of the booming economies in the Far East, as well as increased contact between organised criminals in both regions.
Many of these cases have been linked to a single international gang and there have been a number of convictions already. Last September, police arrested 19 more people in dawn raids in connection to the thefts.
But even if some perpetrators are caught, the relative ease of stealing high-value, portable objects compared with, for example, robbing a bank, means that cultural property is likely to remain an attractive target for organised gangs.
Outdoor public sculpture has also been hit in recent years, frequently because of its scrap-metal value rather than its artistic merit. Last year thieves stole a £500,000 Henry Moore bronze, Sundial, from the grounds of the Henry Moore Foundation.
Following an appeal on BBC television programme Crimewatch, a scrap merchant came forward after realising the sculpture was sitting in his dealership: he had paid £46 for it.
The theft brought out people’s community spirit, says Lesley Wake, chief operating officer at the foundation. “There’s a sense of real belonging of the sculpture and its loss was felt very keenly. Our visitors were tremendous in helping us have an extended pool of eyes and ears to try to recover it.”
The crime highlighted how vital it is to build a strong relationship with the neighbourhood police. “The local police were absolutely phenomenal – it did help that we already had an ongoing dialogue with them,” says Wake. “It’s really important to maintain a relationship with your local bobbies.”
The new caution
The media is another useful resource, says Perkins at Luton, but one that should be handled with care. “It’s important to achieve a balance so that they focus on the retrieval rather than the sensationalism.”
One key concern about tackling cultural heritage crime is that increasing security can often mean reducing public access. But the Henry Moore Foundation is keen to ensure this isn’t the case.
“We’ve actually put more work outdoors than ever before, although we take it very seriously and check it on a regular, consistent basis. But our remit is to show the work of Henry Moore to the public – we have to find a way to do that.”
Elsewhere, some organisations are taking a more cautious approach. Southwark Council in London recently announced that a Barbara Hepworth sculpture stolen from Dulwich Park was to be replaced by an “anti-theft” artwork made of cast iron filled with concrete. While the council’s position may be understandable, it does set a worrying precedent for future public commissions.
“It would be a sorry state of affairs if we have to change the design and shape of a sculpture because of security issues. The artist should be free to create what they want, within reason – it’s down to people on the operational side to make sure it’s safe,” says Wake.
Henry Moore has proved to be a popular target among thieves – in October the artist’s £2m work, Standing Figures, was taken from a remote, open-air sculpture park on the Lincluden estate in Scotland. It still has not been recovered.
Of course, most crime that hits the cultural heritage sector is not sensational enough to make the evening news, but that does not lessen its impact; vandalism, the theft of scrap metal from roofs and fixtures, pickpocketing and even public urination are all costly problems for the sector. Heritage sites are also increasingly reporting cases of stone theft and nighthawking (illegal archaeological excavations).
Police awareness
But is heritage crime in general on the rise, or is it just being better publicised? Apart from the recorded increase in scrap metal theft, there is not yet a definitive answer to this question. This may be because, until recently, there was little coordinated evidence being gathered nationwide on the scale of crime against heritage and cultural property.
“The heritage sector didn’t really have a good understanding of how policing worked and vice versa,” says Mark Harrison, national policing and crime adviser at English Heritage.
“Crimes were being reported but what was being missed was the heritage part – for example, would the investigating officer understand that it was a protected building?”
In addition, prosecutors and the courts did not always comprehend the unique impact of heritage crime, he says.
To help create a more joined-up approach between the police and heritage sectors, English Heritage worked with the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) and a number of other partners to build a National Heritage Protection Plan, which would pool resources and share intelligence.
This included establishing a voluntary network, the Alliance to Reduce Crime Against Heritage, which aims to galvanise members to take action at a local level.
“We’ve invited local authorities to become signatories to include heritage crime reduction in their forward planning and work with partners to better understand this type of crime in their area,” Harrison says. “It was a good way to implement historic protection into crime reduction structures.”
While the English Heritage initiative deals primarily with the historic environment, last month Acpo announced that it was establishing a working group to develop a national policing strategy that would encompass all types of heritage and cultural property crime – a development that should prove beneficial to museums and galleries in the years to come.
One long-term goal is to have a designated officer in each police force with knowledge of heritage crime, to whom other investigators can go for specialist advice and information.
Networked information
But in the meantime, there are already a number of useful resources that museums can access for help. In 2011 the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) established the National Museum Security Group, a free network that any museum in the UK can join. The network is also holding a national conference on museum security early next year.
“We use the network to circulate information amongst ourselves through one control point,” says Vernon Rapley, the V&A’s head of security and visitor services. “It’s particularly beneficial to smaller museums who may not be as aware of security issues.”
The secure online intranet circulates regular updates and offers facilities such as Facewatch, which publishes mugshots of suspects and can also be used to report crimes and upload information, photos and exhibits directly to the police over the internet, saving time and resources.
It’s vital to share intelligence at a local level, says Rapley, who adds that the three Kensington nationals have used the network to distribute information on local pickpocketing gangs and, in one recent case, raise awareness of a man who had been seen following children.
Rapley hopes the network will also help to build a fuller picture of heritage crime nationwide. “It allows us to compile statistics much more easily and pick up on trends,” he says. Rhino horn theft is one such illustration of the importance of sharing data, he says – it was museums themselves rather than disparate local police forces that first picked up on the pattern.
Hard data on crime would also help the heritage sector to lobby for better protection through the courts; this year England and Wales amended the law in order to compel scrap metal dealers to hold licences and ensure the material they buy is traceable, in direct response to metal theft statistics.
For institutions that are loaning objects or planning redevelopments, Arts Council England (ACE) provides security resources and risk assessments, as well as guidance for architects on building-in security.
ACE is also helping museums build their defences through its strategic support fund, which awarded a grant to the Collections Trust to develop security resources (see box). In addition, the Museums Association has made museum security one of its policy priorities for the coming year.
A significant underlying concern is that funding cuts are leaving cultural heritage institutions more vulnerable. Last year, one national museum told Museums Journal that it had been forced to reduce front-of-house security staff, buildings maintenance and electronic security because of budget restrictions.
The full impact of these cuts is yet to be seen. But for people working in heritage crime prevention, the coordinated, collaborative approach the sector is now taking will be a vital source of support.
“[The theft of Sundial] was a sharp reminder of the constant need for vigilance every hour of every day,” says Lesley Wake at the Henry Moore Foundation. “But you don’t have to deal with it on your own.”
Geraldine Kendall is a freelance journalist
The Collections Trust, with funding from Arts Council England, is helping museums and other cultural bodies build security capacity through online resources and workshops. Last year it held a series of regional seminars in England that brought together more than 350 heritage professionals.
“What struck me most in delegate feedback was the importance of sharing insights with professional peers,” says Nick Poole, the chief executive of the Collections Trust.
“Almost everyone attending the seminars had experienced some form of security issue in the previous year, and there was a lot of benefit from sharing, networking and supporting each other,” he says.
The workshops enabled delegates to swap advice on enhancing security and increasing both the prevention and the detection of crime. “Highlights for me included simple tips to promote a culture of security awareness, like putting brightly coloured dots under objects so that thefts are visible.”
Other good practice included challenging people in-gallery, capturing fingerprints from suspects and observing general patterns of behaviour, such as pre-theft visits.
The Collections Link website features resources that include a crime prevention checklist and museum security toolkit.
The trust has also established a partnership with security firm Securitas to distribute its resources and guidance materials. And it is in discussions to expand its workshop programme to Scotland and Wales next year.
“We would welcome expressions of interest from all parties who would like to work with us on this,” adds Poole.
www.collectionslink.org.uk/discover/security
English Heritage National Heritage Protection Plan
English Heritage crime resources
Arts Council England security adviser
National Museum Security Group
Collections Trust
For more advice on protecting buildings, collections and staff from theft and criminal damage, see Museum Practice
CCTV footage shows the man using a heavy metal drain cover to smash through the high-security display case that housed the jug, before cramming it into a shoulder bag and exiting the building without a second glance. The whole thing was over in minutes – and although the jug was later recovered in a storage lock-up, the museum is still feeling the after-effects of the crime 18 months on.
“We’re delighted to have it back but it isn’t back on display yet. We’ve taken the last six months to review security and spent the best part of £50,000 on improvements,” says Karen Perkins, the director of arts and museums at Luton Culture.
“It’s had a really devastating impact. Insurance premiums have gone through the roof and our insurers now question what objects we want to put on display or use in teaching sessions.
“They asked us to put a replica of the jug on display – but what are museums for if they’re not about allowing the public access to authentic objects?”
Scrap value
The loss of the artefact also had a significant effect on the museum’s staff and visitors. “The public were very positive and we didn’t get any criticism, but our site staff took it particularly badly,” Perkins says. “It felt like a personal assault on them and it took them a while to get over it. Our visitors were really shocked too as they felt a lot of ownership over the jug.”
The artefact was well known locally because the museum had waged a high-profile fundraising campaign in 2005 to raise £750,000 to prevent it from being sold abroad. This led investigators to wonder whether it was stolen to claim whatever reward would be offered for its recovery.
“Anyone could have come forward and say they found it in a bush somewhere,” Perkins says. “My dread is that this could be the beginning of a new trend.”
The jug was found in the possession of two drug dealers and the actual thief has not been caught, so the reason it was stolen remains a mystery. “It had some small scuffing around the spout and body but we’ll leave it as it is,” Perkins says. “The damage is part of the object’s history now.”
The theft of the Wenlok Jug is one of a number of high-profile crimes to hit the UK’s cultural heritage in recent years. Just a month before, thefts of rare Chinese artefacts from the Oriental Museum at Durham University and the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge made headlines around the world.
This came at a time when heritage institutions were already on high alert following a spate of thefts across Europe targeting rhino horn.
Police believe the targeting of rhino horn and Oriental objects in Europe is a result of the booming economies in the Far East, as well as increased contact between organised criminals in both regions.
Many of these cases have been linked to a single international gang and there have been a number of convictions already. Last September, police arrested 19 more people in dawn raids in connection to the thefts.
But even if some perpetrators are caught, the relative ease of stealing high-value, portable objects compared with, for example, robbing a bank, means that cultural property is likely to remain an attractive target for organised gangs.
Outdoor public sculpture has also been hit in recent years, frequently because of its scrap-metal value rather than its artistic merit. Last year thieves stole a £500,000 Henry Moore bronze, Sundial, from the grounds of the Henry Moore Foundation.
Following an appeal on BBC television programme Crimewatch, a scrap merchant came forward after realising the sculpture was sitting in his dealership: he had paid £46 for it.
The theft brought out people’s community spirit, says Lesley Wake, chief operating officer at the foundation. “There’s a sense of real belonging of the sculpture and its loss was felt very keenly. Our visitors were tremendous in helping us have an extended pool of eyes and ears to try to recover it.”
The crime highlighted how vital it is to build a strong relationship with the neighbourhood police. “The local police were absolutely phenomenal – it did help that we already had an ongoing dialogue with them,” says Wake. “It’s really important to maintain a relationship with your local bobbies.”
The new caution
The media is another useful resource, says Perkins at Luton, but one that should be handled with care. “It’s important to achieve a balance so that they focus on the retrieval rather than the sensationalism.”
One key concern about tackling cultural heritage crime is that increasing security can often mean reducing public access. But the Henry Moore Foundation is keen to ensure this isn’t the case.
“We’ve actually put more work outdoors than ever before, although we take it very seriously and check it on a regular, consistent basis. But our remit is to show the work of Henry Moore to the public – we have to find a way to do that.”
Elsewhere, some organisations are taking a more cautious approach. Southwark Council in London recently announced that a Barbara Hepworth sculpture stolen from Dulwich Park was to be replaced by an “anti-theft” artwork made of cast iron filled with concrete. While the council’s position may be understandable, it does set a worrying precedent for future public commissions.
“It would be a sorry state of affairs if we have to change the design and shape of a sculpture because of security issues. The artist should be free to create what they want, within reason – it’s down to people on the operational side to make sure it’s safe,” says Wake.
Henry Moore has proved to be a popular target among thieves – in October the artist’s £2m work, Standing Figures, was taken from a remote, open-air sculpture park on the Lincluden estate in Scotland. It still has not been recovered.
Of course, most crime that hits the cultural heritage sector is not sensational enough to make the evening news, but that does not lessen its impact; vandalism, the theft of scrap metal from roofs and fixtures, pickpocketing and even public urination are all costly problems for the sector. Heritage sites are also increasingly reporting cases of stone theft and nighthawking (illegal archaeological excavations).
Police awareness
But is heritage crime in general on the rise, or is it just being better publicised? Apart from the recorded increase in scrap metal theft, there is not yet a definitive answer to this question. This may be because, until recently, there was little coordinated evidence being gathered nationwide on the scale of crime against heritage and cultural property.
“The heritage sector didn’t really have a good understanding of how policing worked and vice versa,” says Mark Harrison, national policing and crime adviser at English Heritage.
“Crimes were being reported but what was being missed was the heritage part – for example, would the investigating officer understand that it was a protected building?”
In addition, prosecutors and the courts did not always comprehend the unique impact of heritage crime, he says.
To help create a more joined-up approach between the police and heritage sectors, English Heritage worked with the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) and a number of other partners to build a National Heritage Protection Plan, which would pool resources and share intelligence.
This included establishing a voluntary network, the Alliance to Reduce Crime Against Heritage, which aims to galvanise members to take action at a local level.
“We’ve invited local authorities to become signatories to include heritage crime reduction in their forward planning and work with partners to better understand this type of crime in their area,” Harrison says. “It was a good way to implement historic protection into crime reduction structures.”
While the English Heritage initiative deals primarily with the historic environment, last month Acpo announced that it was establishing a working group to develop a national policing strategy that would encompass all types of heritage and cultural property crime – a development that should prove beneficial to museums and galleries in the years to come.
One long-term goal is to have a designated officer in each police force with knowledge of heritage crime, to whom other investigators can go for specialist advice and information.
Networked information
But in the meantime, there are already a number of useful resources that museums can access for help. In 2011 the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) established the National Museum Security Group, a free network that any museum in the UK can join. The network is also holding a national conference on museum security early next year.
“We use the network to circulate information amongst ourselves through one control point,” says Vernon Rapley, the V&A’s head of security and visitor services. “It’s particularly beneficial to smaller museums who may not be as aware of security issues.”
The secure online intranet circulates regular updates and offers facilities such as Facewatch, which publishes mugshots of suspects and can also be used to report crimes and upload information, photos and exhibits directly to the police over the internet, saving time and resources.
It’s vital to share intelligence at a local level, says Rapley, who adds that the three Kensington nationals have used the network to distribute information on local pickpocketing gangs and, in one recent case, raise awareness of a man who had been seen following children.
Rapley hopes the network will also help to build a fuller picture of heritage crime nationwide. “It allows us to compile statistics much more easily and pick up on trends,” he says. Rhino horn theft is one such illustration of the importance of sharing data, he says – it was museums themselves rather than disparate local police forces that first picked up on the pattern.
Hard data on crime would also help the heritage sector to lobby for better protection through the courts; this year England and Wales amended the law in order to compel scrap metal dealers to hold licences and ensure the material they buy is traceable, in direct response to metal theft statistics.
For institutions that are loaning objects or planning redevelopments, Arts Council England (ACE) provides security resources and risk assessments, as well as guidance for architects on building-in security.
ACE is also helping museums build their defences through its strategic support fund, which awarded a grant to the Collections Trust to develop security resources (see box). In addition, the Museums Association has made museum security one of its policy priorities for the coming year.
A significant underlying concern is that funding cuts are leaving cultural heritage institutions more vulnerable. Last year, one national museum told Museums Journal that it had been forced to reduce front-of-house security staff, buildings maintenance and electronic security because of budget restrictions.
The full impact of these cuts is yet to be seen. But for people working in heritage crime prevention, the coordinated, collaborative approach the sector is now taking will be a vital source of support.
“[The theft of Sundial] was a sharp reminder of the constant need for vigilance every hour of every day,” says Lesley Wake at the Henry Moore Foundation. “But you don’t have to deal with it on your own.”
Geraldine Kendall is a freelance journalist
Taking care of collections
The Collections Trust, with funding from Arts Council England, is helping museums and other cultural bodies build security capacity through online resources and workshops. Last year it held a series of regional seminars in England that brought together more than 350 heritage professionals.
“What struck me most in delegate feedback was the importance of sharing insights with professional peers,” says Nick Poole, the chief executive of the Collections Trust.
“Almost everyone attending the seminars had experienced some form of security issue in the previous year, and there was a lot of benefit from sharing, networking and supporting each other,” he says.
The workshops enabled delegates to swap advice on enhancing security and increasing both the prevention and the detection of crime. “Highlights for me included simple tips to promote a culture of security awareness, like putting brightly coloured dots under objects so that thefts are visible.”
Other good practice included challenging people in-gallery, capturing fingerprints from suspects and observing general patterns of behaviour, such as pre-theft visits.
The Collections Link website features resources that include a crime prevention checklist and museum security toolkit.
The trust has also established a partnership with security firm Securitas to distribute its resources and guidance materials. And it is in discussions to expand its workshop programme to Scotland and Wales next year.
“We would welcome expressions of interest from all parties who would like to work with us on this,” adds Poole.
www.collectionslink.org.uk/discover/security
Further resources
English Heritage National Heritage Protection Plan
English Heritage crime resources
Arts Council England security adviser
National Museum Security Group
Collections Trust
For more advice on protecting buildings, collections and staff from theft and criminal damage, see Museum Practice
