Shadow World
By BBC Radio 4
Gripping stories from the shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK
The inside story of how ancient treasures disappeared from one of the world's most famous museums. And how one man believes he uncovered a thief.
BBC Culture Editor Katie Razzall reveals how a Danish gem dealer almost single-handedly identified a man he believes had been stealing precious artefacts from the British Museum. She looks at why thefts went unnoticed for so long.
What begins as a whodunnit turns into a global treasure hunt as Katie tries to track down the missing gems.
Latest episode
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Thief at the British Museum: 9. An Ending, a Beginning
Ittai hands over his gems. But will we ever know what else the Museum has lost? -
Thief at the British Museum: 8. Stateside
Katie discovers the eBay seller has customers in the US - one with hundreds of gems. -
Thief at the British Museum: 7. Treasure Hunt
Katie and Ittai’s hunt for gems leads them across Europe -
Thief at the British Museum: 6. Lone Wolf or Scapegoat?
Peter Higgs is sacked, but the British Museum’s director turns on Ittai. -
Thief at the British Museum: 5. Secret Missions
Ittai recruits an ally to go on a secret mission inside the museum. -
Thief at the British Museum: 4. Seeds of Doubt
Ittai is convinced he has found his thief, but not everyone is so sure. -
Thief at the British Museum: 3. Lightbulb Moment
For Ittai, the clues finally fall into place. Has he identified the thief? -
Thief at the British Museum: 2. White Paper Dots
Ittai Gradel discovers a seemingly endless supply of precious gemstones. -
Thief at the British Museum: 1. The Man with the Cardboard Box
People have called him Sherlock Holmes, if Holmes were Danish and obsessed with gems. -
Introducing Thief at the British Museum
A story of history disregarded, beauty destroyed, and trust betrayed
