Article has been updated with an Oct.31, 2025 statement from OMCA.
Just days after a brazen burglary at the famed Louvre museum in Paris garnered international media attention, someone broke into a storage facility belonging to the Oakland Museum of California and made off with more than 1,000 items, police said Wednesday.
Oakland Police Department officials said they are working with the FBI’s Art Crime Team to investigate a burglary at the off-site storage facility that took place at about 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 15.
The thieves made off with jewelry, laptops and Native American baskets, among other things, according to police.
“The theft that occurred represents a brazen act that robs the public of our state’s cultural heritage,” said Oakland Museum of California executive director Lori Fogarty. “Most of these objects have been given to the Museum by generous donors. We are working in close partnership with the city of Oakland, the Oakland Police Department, and the FBI to see that these objects are returned.”
OMCA posted the following statement on October 31, 2025:
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) has received an outpouring of concern and support following news of a theft that occurred at the Museum’s off-site storage facility on October 15, 2025. We are deeply grateful for our community’s solidarity as we work to address this serious loss.
On the early morning of Wednesday, October 15, a suspect or suspects broke into OMCA’s off-site storage facility and stole more than 1,000 items from the Museum’s collection, the majority consisting of historic memorabilia. Since discovering the theft, OMCA has been working closely with the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and the FBI Art Crime Team. With their approval, the Museum is now able to share additional information about the incident.
Based on current findings, investigators believe this was a crime of opportunity, not a targeted theft. There is no indication that the perpetrators specifically identified the facility as museum storage or sought particular artworks or artifacts. Instead, it appears they gained access and took items that were most easily available.
While every object in OMCA’s collection plays an important role in preserving the story of California and its people, the majority of stolen items consist of historic memorabilia such as political pins, award ribbons, and souvenir tokens.Additional stolen artifacts of particular sensitivity include six Native American baskets, several 19th-century scrimshaw objects, and a number of daguerreotypes and modernist metalwork jewelry pieces.OMCA has received particular concern from the community regarding the stolen Native American baskets. The Museum works in close collaboration with Indigenous communities and Tribes from across California and is in direct communication with the culturally affiliated Tribe connected to these stolen items. The Tribe has requested that their name not be made public and that OMCA not publicly release further details about the baskets.
“This is a loss not only for OMCA, but for the broader community,” said Lori Fogarty, Executive Director and CEO, Oakland Museum of California. “The Museum takes its responsibility to steward California’s history and cultural legacy with the utmost seriousness and remains committed to recovering the stolen items and ensuring their continued care for future generations.”
The release of this information has been coordinated with law enforcement to ensure public assistance can be most effective. The investigation remains active, and OMCA continues to cooperate fully with OPD and the FBI.
Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department Burglary Section at (510) 238-3951, or the FBI Art Crime Team at Tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
OMCA posted the following on October 31, 2025:Anyone with information can call the OPD Burglary Section at (510) 238-3951. People can also contact the FBI Art Crime Team or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The FBI Art Crime Team is a highly specialized unit of about 20 agents tasked with investigating art theft, forgery, or, as in this case, antiquities and cultural property trafficking, police said in a news release.
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