Probe on theft at museum

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been called in to investigate the theft of priceless treasures and artifacts from the Colombo National Museum on Friday night by burglars who broke into the building, Police Media Spokesman Ajith Rohana told the Sunday Observer .

When the theft was discovered by employees of the museum on the following day, the matter was reported to the Cinnamon Gardens police station which began investigating the incident.

Later the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) headed by its Director SP Ranaweera and his team visited the museum and began investigating the theft. Several priceless swords, coins, walking sticks and other items had been stolen from the museum.

Meanwhile, sniffer dogs from the Police kennels and Finger-Print Bureau experts were summoned to the scene on a directive from DIG Colombo S. A. D. Gunewardena. Several fingerprints discovered at the museum are being studied by the police to determine whether they belong to the thieves or employees of the museum.

The value of the treasures and artifacts stolen has not been estimated so far, the sources said.