British Museum Pledges to Digitalize Entire Collection After Theft Scandal

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The British Museum announced Wednesday that it would digitalize its entire collection to improve security after thousands of artifacts were found missing in the summer.

"Over the next five years we have set ourselves the objective of improving and completing the online record of every object in the British Museum’s collection," Interim Director Mark Jones said.

Jones’ predecessor, Hartwig Fischer, stepped down in August in response to the theft after it was revealed some 2,000 valuable items had been stolen from the museum’s storage room over several years. Hundreds of them popped up on eBay and are in the process of being recovered but many others remain unaccounted for.

The museum’s admission that the theft was likely an inside job caused a scandal, with Greece, Egypt and China demanding that the London museum, which credits itself for safeguarding ancient treasures, hand over the relics they see as looted by the British Empire.

Jones said the British Museum would upload or upgrade online records on some 2.4 million artifacts in its possession. He promised that everyone, no matter where they lived, would be able to see everything the museum holds.

George Osborne, chairman of the museum's trustees, reiterated a public apology on Wednesday for the loss of the artifacts. He told a parliamentary panel that the museum had fallen victim to someone they put trust in.

"Obviously, there are lots of lessons to be learned as a result of that. The member of staff has been dismissed by us. The objects have started to be recovered," he told the House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

The stolen items featured gold jewelry, semi-precious stones and glass hailing from the early 19th century. Jones confirmed to the panel that some 350 missing items were in the process of being returned and that work was underway to track down the rest.