British Museum Staff Member Stole Over 300 Artworks Before Being Caught Red-Handed
A shocking new book has revealed that a former British Museum staff member stole more than 300 pieces of art, smuggling them out and selling them at an antiques market during the early 1990s, before eventually being caught in the act.
The Systematic Theft of Prints
Nigel Peverett, who worked in the museum's Department of Prints and Drawings in the early 1970s, remained a frequent visitor to the institution. In April 1992, his illicit activities came to a dramatic end when he was apprehended while leaving the museum with 35 prints valued at approximately £5,000.
Following this incident, police conducted a search of Peverett's cottage in Kent, uncovering an additional 169 prints with an estimated worth of £27,000. During questioning, Peverett confessed to stealing a further 150 prints, which he had already sold to unknown buyers.
His method was brazen and systematic: he would enter the British Museum with one bag and exit with four, having concealed the stolen artwork. To remove evidence of ownership, he used a razor to scrape off the museum's catalogue numbers or cut the prints down to size. He then sold the items through an antiques dealer who operated a stall at the famous Portobello Road antiques market in London.
Recovery Efforts and Ongoing Losses
The story of these thefts is detailed in Barnaby Phillips' forthcoming book, The African Kingdom of Gold, which focuses on stolen treasure. The book notes that the museum recorded the thefts after they were discovered and initiated efforts to recover the missing artworks.
By November 1992, the British Museum had successfully retrieved fifty-five of the stolen prints. However, many had been sold for cash to untraceable buyers, leaving at least 95 prints still unaccounted for and believed to be outstanding to this day.
The Life and Consequences of the Thief
Nigel Peverett passed away in 2023. In his research for the book, Phillips met with Peverett's family in Kent, who described him as a "charming but feckless" individual with a deep love for art and classical music, yet "totally irresponsible and hopeless with money." They recounted one extreme example of his financial recklessness: he once burned a Porsche as part of an insurance fraud scheme.
Remarkably, Peverett's family claimed he was permitted to retain his British Museum pension despite his crimes. After being prosecuted, Peverett suffered a nervous breakdown and attempted to take his own life. He spent six weeks in a psychiatric hospital and ultimately received a suspended sentence.
Museum Response and Security Measures
In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for the British Museum addressed the historical incident: "These events occurred decades ago, and the individual was caught and prosecuted at the time. Thefts will unfortunately always be a risk for every museum, and for this reason, we take safeguarding the collection incredibly seriously."
The spokesperson added that alongside enhanced security measures, the museum is focusing on making its collection more widely known as a protective strategy. In 2023, the institution committed to fully digitising its vast collection of 8 million human works within five years, aiming to improve transparency and security.
Barnaby Phillips' book, The African Kingdom of Gold: Britain and the Asante Treasure, is published by Oneworld on Thursday, 5 March. The British Museum, located in London, houses the world's largest collection of human works, underscoring the significance of such security breaches.
