Guilt-edged brooch
Anglo-Saxon jewellery stolen from museum is returned... after 26 years
AFTER thieves stole a hoard of valuable artefacts from a local museum, staff no doubt thought they’d never see them again.
However, it would appear that one of those involved in the crime 26 years ago had a crisis of conscience, after one of the items – an Anglo-Saxon brooch – was sent in the post to police.
The bronze-gilt square-headed jewellery was taken from Rutland County Museum in Oakham in 1995 with eight other brooches and a Roman gold ring.
Only the ring was recovered afterwards – until one brooch was sent to the Met Police anonymously last year. The Art Loss Register identified it was a match with its record of an artefact stolen from the museum. The brooch belongs to Oakham School and was on loan to the museum.
Rutland County Council has asked people to be on the lookout for other stolen items. Councillor Lucy Stevenson said: ‘The theft of these important artefacts was a huge loss to the county, and we are so pleased to have one of the items returned.
‘They belong on public display so that people have the opportunity to learn about our rich and unique local history.’