More than 1,000 objects have been stolen from the Oakland Museum of California.
The burglary took place just before 3:30 a.m. on October 15, only a few days before thieves stole priceless jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Newsweek has contacted the Oakland Police Department and the Oakland Museum of California via email outside of regular working hours for comment.
Why It Matters
On Sunday, October 19, thieves stole jewelry valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) from the Louvre in broad daylight.
The heist has been described as a “terrible failure” for the museum by the Louvre director Laurence des Cars, who has since offered to resign.
As the Louvre grapples with the fallout, the incident has become a touchstone for concerns over museum security around the world.
What To Know
The Oakland Police Department confirmed the theft in a press release issued on October 29, two weeks after the heist occurred.
Suspects broke into an off-site storage facility and stole artifacts from the museum, including Native American baskets and jewelry, as well as laptops.
The release featured images of the stolen items that included an old picture, a necklace and a basket.
Museum Chief Executive Lori Fogarty said: “The theft that occurred represents a brazen act that robs the public of our state’s cultural heritage.”
The Oakland Police Department is working alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team to recover the stolen items and investigate the heist.
The museum, whose artifacts encompass art, history and natural science, is dedicated to the history of California. It houses more than 2 million objects over 110,000 square feet, and comprises a gallery and campus.
The actual museum is located at 1000 Oak Street in Oakland, California. The location of the storage facility has not been revealed to the public.
What People Are Saying
Oakland Museum of California Executive Director and CEO Lori Fogarty, as per a press release from the Oakland Police Department: “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.”
The Oakland Police Department, in a press release: “The Oakland Police Department (OPD), in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is investigating a burglary that occurred just before 3:30 a.m. October 15, 2025, at the Oakland Museum of California’s off-site storage facility.”
What’s Next
The investigation is ongoing. Individuals with information are encouraged to contact the Oakland Police Department’s Burglary Department at (510) 238-3951, or, contact the FBI Art Crime Team online or at 1-800-CALL-FBI.