Museum Robbery in Oakland: FBI Seeks Public’s Help

The FBI is reaching out to the community for assistance in identifying two suspects involved in a recent museum heist where over 1,000 historical artifacts were stolen.

This incident took place at an off-site storage facility owned by the Oakland Museum in California around 3 a.m. on October 15, according to officials.

A statement from the museum indicated that initial findings suggest the theft was more of a “crime of opportunity” than a calculated hit.

“There’s no evidence that the suspects recognized the location as a museum or specifically targeted certain items,” the statement noted. “They likely accessed the site and grabbed whatever was easiest to take.”

In an update provided on October 31, museum representatives shared that some of the stolen items included various historical memorabilia, notably several Native American pieces like political pins, commemorative tokens, and award ribbons.

“Additional sensitive artifacts included six Native American baskets, several 19th-century scrimshaw objects, daguerreotypes, and modernist metalwork jewelry,” the museum mentioned.

Surveillance footage shows two masked individuals entering the storage facility through an internal hallway before heading out to an outdoor area secured by a metal fence. One suspect is described as thin, wearing a long-sleeved plaid shirt, a black hoodie, blue jeans, and black shoes. The second suspect appeared to be stockier, dressed in a blue sweatshirt, blue pants, black gloves, and white shoes.

In a separate incident, a 19-year-old named Joshua Vabrin was arrested in New York City for reportedly damaging two priceless paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by splashing water on them. He’s said to have caused over $4,000 in damages.

The FBI, alongside both the Oakland Museum and the New York City Police Department, has not yet commented on these developments.