Museum worker steals ancient bracelet and melts it down for gold

In Egypt, a significant cultural loss occurred when a 3,000-year-old golden bracelet, once belonging to King Amenemope, was stolen from a museum's restoration lab early in September 2025. The bracelet, which featured decorative lapis lazuli beads and had survived millennia, was taken from a secure safe on September 9. After the theft was reported, officials swiftly commenced a rescue operation, enacting alerts at borders and ports to prevent potential smuggling. However, the investigation led to a restoration specialist employed by the museum, who sold the artifact to a metal trader for roughly $4,000. This transaction took a disastrous turn when the bracelet was passed down to a goldsmith who melted it down for use in new jewelry, effectively erasing a priceless piece of history. Authorities arrested the museum worker alongside several accomplices, retrieving the sale proceeds in the process, but the precious bracelet was irretrievably lost. The urgency surrounding the theft intensified as this incident occurred just weeks prior to the anticipated opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum. This newly established museum would play an essential role in showcasing Egypt’s rich ancient heritage and boosting tourism, a pillar of the nation's economy. This unfortunate event sparked outrage among the public and social media users who expressed their dismay not only at the theft itself but at the museum worker's apparent failure to recognize the artifact's historical importance. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed that some images of the bracelet circulating online were of a different item still on display, which highlighted the need for vigilance in preserving national treasures. The incident raises broader concerns about the safeguarding of Egypt's invaluable artifacts, as thefts and smuggling cases have plagued the nation’s antiquities sector for years. The reliance on individual museum staff for maintaining and protecting these treasures is a critical area that Egypt’s authorities may need to address, especially in light of upcoming significant events intended to highlight the country’s rich history. Efforts to restore trust and integrity within the museum system will be vital in preventing further losses of this magnitude.