Nearly a year after "invaluable" Bronze Age treasure was stolen from a Welsh museum, it has been confirmed that none of the items have been recovered. Amgueddfa Cymru (Museum Wales) has issued another plea for anyone with information to come forward.
At around 12.30am on October 6 last year, Bronze Age gold jewellery was allegedly stolen from a display case in St Fagans National Museum of History, in Cardiff. At the time, it was described by Amgueddfa Cymru as a "targeted attack."
Items still missing
The Bronze Age ran from about 2,300 BC to 800 BC and the museum is home to a collection of items from that time. Pieces that have been recovered include ancient gold jewellery from different parts of Wales.
The following items are missing:
- Hoard of four Middle Bronze Age gold armlets from Llanwrthwrl, Powys.
- Hoard of five Middle Bronze Age gold items from Capel Isaf, Carmarthenshire.
- Hoard of three Middle Bronze Age gold items from Heyope, Powys.
- Early Bronze Age gold lunula from Llanllyfni, Gwynedd.
Appeal for information
The museum has once again urged anyone with information on where the items are to come forward so that they can be returned to "their rightful home."
An Amgueddfa Cymru spokesperson said: "We encourage anyone who may have any information about the items' location to come forward to the police so that they can be returned to their rightful home within Wales’ national collection for everyone to access and enjoy."
"We continue to work closely with South Wales Police, but due to ongoing legal proceedings we can't make any further comment at this stage."
Museum background and legal proceedings
Founded in 1948, St Fagans is one of seven national museums under the curation of Amgueddfa Cymru. The museum's Bronze Age collection includes gold ingots, bracelets, and a lunula necklace.
Jane Richardson, chief executive of Amgueddfa Cymru, had previously described the stolen items as "invaluable and irreplaceable items that are part of Wales' history, heritage, and culture."
"I'd like to encourage anyone who may have any information about their location to come forward to the police so that they can be returned to their rightful home within Wales' national collection, for everyone to access and enjoy," she said.
St Fagans National Museum of History is one of Wales' most popular heritage attractions with more than 40 buildings, representing different eras of Welsh history, re-erected in the grounds of the museum. The museum's main building, where the alleged burglary took place, was redeveloped in a £30m overhaul in 2018, adding three new galleries.
Gavin Burnett, 43, and Darren Burnett, 50, both from Northampton, were charged with burglary in the weeks following the theft and remanded in custody. Both men deny the offences and are due to appear in court next month.
