In a brazen act of theft that has left the art world in shock, over 1,000 historic artifacts, including Native American baskets and jewelry, were stolen from an Oakland Museum of California storage facility during an overnight burglary on October 15, 2025. The burglary, which occurred just before 3:30 a.m., saw thieves break into the museum’s off-site storage facility and make off with the collection of priceless objects. The Oakland Police Department and the FBI have launched a joint investigation to recover these stolen items, with the FBI’s Art Crime Team, a specialized unit of about 20 agents nationwide, providing assistance.
The stolen items span a range of cultural and historical significance, including Native American baskets, jewelry, laptops, and other irreplaceable artifacts that form an integral part of California’s cultural heritage. Lori Fogarty, executive director and CEO of the Oakland Museum of California, expressed concern over the theft, emphasizing the loss of the state’s cultural heritage. Fogarty noted that most of the items were donated to the museum and highlighted the efforts of the museum, in collaboration with the Oakland Police Department and the FBI, to recover the stolen goods. Authorities are currently assembling an inventory to determine the total value of the stolen items and are urging anyone with information to contact the OPD Burglary Section or the FBI’s Art Crime Team.
The Oakland Museum heist occurred just days before a shocking $102 million jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris. This event on October 19, 2025, saw a group of thieves use a basket lift to scale the Louvre’s façade, force open a window, and smash display cases before escaping with a collection of royal jewels. The French officials have acknowledged a “terrible failure” in the museum’s security, which has now sparked renewed questions about the safety of cultural institutions worldwide. The stolen items from the Louvre included a sapphire diadem, necklace, and single earring linked to 19th-century queens, as well as an emerald necklace, earrings, and a reliquary brooch associated with Empress Marie-Louise and other royal figures. The theft of these priceless objects has further fueled the global debate on the vulnerabilities of museums and the need for improved security measures.
The latest thefts, occurring in two major cultural hubs, have underscored the ongoing challenges faced by museums in safeguarding their collections. The FBI is currently working to track down the stolen artifacts, while the Oakland Museum is striving to recover the lost items. The investigation into the Louvre heist has also seen additional arrests, with five more suspects being detained. However, the stolen crown jewels worth $102 million are still missing, highlighting the complexity of these cases and the need for continued efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. As the investigations continue, experts are calling for enhanced security protocols and greater investment in the protection of cultural heritage to prevent such heists from occurring in the future.