Rochdale man arrested after Egyptian museum heist

A 35-year old man has been arrested in the Rochdale area in connection with the burglary of £150,000 worth of Egyptian artefacts from a museum in Batley.

Between 11 and 12 March 2005 the rare items, which included a human skull, were stolen from Bagshaw Museum at Wilton Park. Shutters were broken and a double-glazed window smashed so that the robber could gain access to the building, causing £5,000 worth of damage.

Officers searched an address in Rochdale when the arrest was made but the stolen items were not found. The man has been bailed pending further enquiries.

The missing Egyptian artefacts called Shabties are often carved from stone and jade. The items were buried with the dead to work as servants in the afterlife and are in various states of decay.

The Shabties, which are decorated with hieroglyphics and around five inches tall, are valued between £300 and £3,000 pounds each.

Kirklees Police are now again calling to anyone who knows the whereabouts of these items to contact DC Gumersell at Dewsbury CID on 0845 6060606 or crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.