Overview

• A restoration specialist is among four people arrested after authorities said the bracelet was taken on Sept. 9 from the Egyptian Museum’s restoration lab as staff prepared artifacts for an exhibition in Italy.
• Investigators say the piece moved from the museum worker to a silver shop, then to gold workshops for roughly $3,800 to $4,000 before being melted into other jewelry, with the proceeds seized.
• Security footage released by authorities shows a shop owner receiving and weighing a bracelet and paying one of the suspects.
• A judge ordered the restoration specialist and an acquaintance held for 15 more days pending investigations and granted bail of 10,000 Egyptian pounds (about $207) each to the other two suspects.
• The ministry circulated images nationwide, formed a committee to audit the lab, and faced growing calls from archaeologists and lawyers to tighten protections and pause overseas loans until controls improve.