Manhunt Is On After Hundreds of Imperial-Era Artifacts Vanish

Investigators described one suspect as stocky in a white cap, another slim in a gray hooded jacket, a third in a green cap who appeared to limp with his right leg, and a fourth in a two-tone puffed jacket. The stolen items form part of a trove documenting Britain's ties with former colonies from the late 1800s to more modern times. According to the collection's website, it includes objects from Pacific islands and clothing from African nations, as well as photos, movies, personal documents, and audio files meant to illuminate "a challenging and controversial period of history," per CBS.
Many of the missing pieces were donations, and case officer Dan Burgan called the loss "significant" for Bristol, as the material offered crucial insight into a complicated chapter of the country's past. The collection was originally held at the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum until that institution shut in 2012, after which the collection came under the care of the Bristol City Council, Bristol Museums, and the city archives. The AP notes that it's "unclear why the appeal was being made more than two months after the crime."