International Alerts - Stolen Artefacts

Stolen Artefacts

• The Permanent Delegation of Mexico alerted UNESCO to the theft of cultural properties – January 2020
• The Permanent Delegation of Mexico alerted UNESCO to the theft of cultural properties – December 2019
• The Illicit Traffic Unit of the Ministry of Culture of Guatemala alerted UNESCO of a number of thefts of cultural property –December 2019
• The Permanent Delegation of Ecuador alerted UNESCO to the theft of cultural properties – September 2019
• The Ministry of Culture and Sports of Greece alerted UNESCO of a number of thefts of cultural property – December 2018
• The Ministry of Culture of Peru alerted UNESCO to a number of thefts of cultural property – June 2017
• The Permanent Delegation of Chile alerted UNESCO to the theft of cultural property – May 2017
• Theft of a statue at Pobe Mengao, Burkina Faso – May 2017
• The Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) of Syria alerted UNESCO to a number of thefts – 2015 and 2016
• The Permanent Delegation of Bolivia alerted UNESCO to a number of thefts of cultural property that occurred – September 2015
• Theft of elements of the mural painting at the old commandary of Molmant in the city of Leffonds in Champagne-Ardenne region, France – August 2015

Checklist of actions in the event of cultural theft

Following a theft incident, the first thing to do is call the law-enforcement officials and submit to them any information that they may need. Following the crime-scene procedures, the central or responsible authority should inform the National Bureau of INTERPOL of the theft so that they can register the stolen object(s) on the INTERPOL Stolen Works of Art Database.

There are several channels for cooperation concerning the return of an object that is illicitly trafficked, such as: administrative/informal assistance, mutual legal assistance, negotiation, Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation (ICPRCP), legal action.

The Checklist has been adopted during the Eight Session of the Subsidiary Committee of the Meeting of States Parties to the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (UNESCO, Paris, 1970) C70/20/8.SC/10.

The checklist is composed of three parts: Before Theft (Precaution Checklist), After Theft and After Locating the Object (abroad).