Temporary acting deputy director of the Russian Interior Ministry Investigative Committee Col. Yury Alexeev
Photo: Vasily Alexandrov
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Cultural Treasures Stolen in Thousands
Temporary acting deputy director of the Russian Interior Ministry Investigative Committee Col. Yury Alexeev told journalists that 61 thefts from museums, exhibition halls, galleries, libraries and archives, 162 thefts from places of worship and 795 thefts from apartments and homes were reported in Russia last year. Moscow, the Moscow suburbs and Ivanovo, Tver, Bryansk and Yaroslav Regions had the highest crime rates in this area and losses caused by the thefts are estimated at 140 million rubles.
Alexeev said that museum staff and guards often commit such crimes with the goal of selling the cultural treasures. An increasing number of thefts from churches is also being noted. Those crimes are becoming more brazen and better organized. An armed group of nine people recently attacked a church in Kostroma Region. Crimes against churches and mosques increased 10 percent in 2007 over the previous year.
there are 1600 museums in Russia holding 800 million objects. Unscheduled audits are made of all facilities that house cultural treasures. The largest case in recent years was uncovered at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg on July 31, 2006, when inspectors noted the absence of more than 200 objects, particularly jewelry from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Investigation showed that Nikolay Zavadsky, husband of late museum staff member Larisa Zavadskaya, had stolen 77 objects. That investigation is ongoing.
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