British Museum to Improve Security and Record-Keeping after Theft of 2,000 Items

Museum's Board Accepts Recommendations from Independent Review, Plans Five-Year Digitization Project

The British Museum has been urged to tighten security and improve its record-keeping after the discovery of 2,000 missing, stolen, and damaged items.
The museum's board of trustees has accepted all recommendations from an independent review, including a five-year plan to fully document and digitize the institution's entire collection.
The estimated cost of the museum’s documentation and digitization project is £10 million ($12.1 million), which the museum plans to raise privately.
The museum plans to use the increased digital access to the collection as part of its response to requests for items to be returned or repatriated.
A senior curator, Peter Higgs, is suspected of the thefts and damages, with approximately 350 gold mounts destroyed, possibly for their scrap value.