Man Arrested for Stealing Priceless Egyptian Artefacts in Queensland Museum Heist
February 15, 2026
Queensland police arrested a 52-year-old man with no fixed address for stealing priceless Egyptian artefacts from the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Caboolture, north of Brisbane. The man was caught on Russell Island in Moreton Bay on Saturday evening. Police found most of the stolen items in a camper van parked at the Cleveland ferry terminal, 80 km from the museum. One missing piece, a 2,600-year-old wooden cat sculpture from ancient Egypt’s 26th dynasty, was also found in his possession. The raid happened after a two-day search following the break-in at about 3 am on Friday. The thief smashed a museum window and took several items, including a 3,300-year-old necklace and a mummy mask. Police released footage showing the mummy mask wrapped in a Venezuelan flag inside the van. The artefacts suffered only minor damage. On Sunday, the man was charged with breaking and entering and three counts of willful damage. He was to appear in court on Monday.
Read More at Theguardian →
Tags:
Queensland police
Museum Theft
Egyptian Artefacts
Caboolture
Museum Burglary
Artefact Recovery
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