Among the objects stolen in the UK museum heist are an ivory Buddha and a belt buckle belonging to an East India Company officer, pieces considered culturally significant.
BY PC Bureau
December 12, 2025: Indian Colonial-Era Artefacts Among 600 High-Value Items Stolen in Bristol Museum HeistBristol, UK – 12 December 2025: More than 600 culturally significant artefacts, including several rare objects linked to India’s colonial past under British rule, have been stolen in a sophisticated night-time burglary at a museum storage facility in Bristol.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed the break-in occurred in the early hours of 25 September 2025, between 1:00 am and 2:00 am, when intruders targeted the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection.
Among the missing items are pieces of considerable historical and cultural importance to India and the wider former British Empire.
Notable Indian-linked artefacts reported stolen include:
- A finely carved ivory Buddha statue, described as a rare example of religious and artistic heritage from the Indian subcontinent.
- A ceremonial waist belt buckle belonging to an East India Company officer, a personal military item from the colonial period that symbolises the era of British administration in India.
- Various military insignia, jewellery, carved ivory objects, silver and bronze figurines, and other relics spanning centuries of India’s colonial history.
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Many of the stolen objects were donated by private individuals and families or community groups, making them effectively irreplaceable as they carry unique personal and local histories.
Detective Constable Dan Burgan, leading the investigation, called the theft “a significant loss for the city and for our understanding of a complex part of history.”
More than 600 items from a collection documenting the links between Britain and countries in the former British Empire were stolen from a U.K. museum in September, police said Thursday. https://t.co/Jx1rPkfjWz
— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) December 11, 2025
“These items provide invaluable insight into Britain’s imperial past and commonwealth story, including its deep ties with India. Several were generous donations that can never be replaced. We are determined to recover them and bring those responsible to justice,” DC Burgan said.
Police have released grainy CCTV footage showing four white male suspects inside the facility and have urged anyone who recognises them to come forward.
The force has conducted extensive forensic examinations and reviewed hours of CCTV, but has not explained why the public appeal and release of suspect images were delayed by more than two-and-a-half months.
Authorities are particularly concerned the artefacts may surface on the black market or in private sales. Members of the public and antiques dealers have been asked to remain vigilant for any unusual colonial-era items, especially those matching descriptions of the stolen objects, being offered for sale.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Avon and Somerset Police or Crimestoppers anonymously.
The theft represents one of the largest single losses of colonial-era heritage items from a British public collection in recent years and has raised fresh questions about the security of sensitive historical artefacts held in storage.
