Rewritten Title: Damascus Museum Heist: Security Under Scrutiny After Theft of Priceless Golden Antiquities
In a significant security breach, several priceless golden artifacts have been stolen from the Classical section of the National Museum of Damascus, according to sources close to the museum’s management and security officials.
The Stolen Treasures
Sources confirmed that six gold items, including gold ingots, were stolen from one of the museum’s most important wings. The Classical section houses a rare collection of artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine eras, gathered from ancient sites across Syria. The stolen pieces were among the publicly displayed treasures, which also include funerary beds, rare wall paintings, and stone statues.
Immediate Aftermath and Investigation
In the wake of the theft, the museum was temporarily closed for security reasons and is scheduled to reopen next week. An investigation was swiftly launched, leading to the detention and questioning of several museum employees and guards this past Monday. All individuals have since been released. Security personnel have restricted access to the exhibition halls as the probe continues.
A Sanctuary Lost
The incident is particularly striking as the Damascus museum had previously been a safe haven throughout the years of conflict. While historical sites and countless artifacts across Syria were destroyed or looted since 2011, the museum remained largely unscathed and had even become a repository for antiquities relocated from other, more vulnerable regions. This heist marks a troubling violation of that sanctuary, raising urgent questions about the protection of cultural heritage.