Australian police recover ancient Egyptian artifacts after museum break in
A 52 year old Venezuelan man appeared in an Australian court on Monday after allegedly stealing ancient Egyptian artifacts from a Queensland museum and wrapping them in his national flag, claiming he believed it was his duty to return them to their rightful place.
Miguel Simon Mungarrieta Monsalve was denied bail at Cleveland Magistrates Court two days after Queensland police recovered the “invaluable” items taken from the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Caboolture, north of Brisbane. Magistrate Deborah Vasta described the alleged offense as bizarre, remarking that it might seem like something from a television satire if it were not so serious.
Police said the suspect broke into the museum around 3 a.m. Friday by smashing a glass door with an axe, then shattered display cases and removed four ancient Egyptian artifacts. The stolen items included a rare painted wooden cat figurine from Egypt’s 26th dynasty, estimated to be about 2,600 years old, a 3,300 year old necklace, a mummy mask authenticated by the British Museum, and another necklace.
Investigators initially considered whether organized crime was involved but soon concluded the break in appeared amateur and opportunistic, according to Detective Inspector David Harbison. Officers traced the suspect through surveillance footage to a Toyota van parked at the Redland Bay ferry terminal on Saturday afternoon, where they recovered three of the artifacts in relatively intact condition, loosely discarded inside the vehicle.
The man was arrested later that evening on Russell Island, about 60 kilometers southeast of Brisbane, with the wooden cat sculpture found in a backpack.
In court, prosecutors said Mungarrieta Monsalve, who had been living in his van while traveling along the Queensland coast, told police he did not believe the museum should possess the artifacts because of its alleged links to the Catholic Church. The prosecutor said the accused believed it was his duty to take the objects and return them to their rightful place, adding that they had been wrapped in the Venezuelan flag.
Authorities allege the suspect caused irreparable damage to other museum items during the break in, including a ring. He faces charges of unlawful entry with intent to commit an indictable offense, four counts of willful damage and additional allegations of trespass and assault linked to incidents in Noosa the previous night. Prosecutors also cited alleged assaults involving an 11 year old child on Russell Island.
Museum staff expressed relief at the swift recovery. Chief curator Michael Strong said he had feared the artifacts would be irreparably broken given how they were handled, but was relieved the damage appeared limited. He noted that restoration would require considerable time and resources.
Joel Stephens, the museum’s events manager, described the theft as devastating, pointing out that more than 10,000 students visit the institution each year to take part in archaeology programs. The stolen artifacts, used in ancient Egyptian funerary rituals, date back to what he called a golden age of the pyramids.
The case is scheduled to return to Caboolture Magistrates Court next month.
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