British Museum Staffer Fired Over Missing Jewels Was a Senior Curator

The British Museum staffer fired after the disappearance of a number of artifacts was named on Thursday as Peter Higgs, a prominent curator who’d worked there for more than 30 years, according to reports from The Telegraph and The Times of London. Higgs, 56, was allegedly dismissed earlier this year after officials discovered that gold jewelry, semi-precious stones, and glass had vanished from the museum and been put up for sale on eBay. The items, including some dating back to ancient Rome, are thought to be worth tens of millions of British pounds. The thefts began as early as 2016, according to the museum, which announced an independent review into the matter on Wednesday. Higgs worked as the museum’s head of department for Greece and Rome prior to his termination. His 21-year-old son told The Telegraph that his father was “devastated” over the dismissal, adding to The Times that Higgs “couldn’t have been” the thief. “He’s lost all faith in the museum,” the son said.