The Hermitage Museum, a Baroque-style palace on the banks of the Neva River
Credit: Saint-Petersburg.com
SAINT PETERSBURG, 12 August 2006: A university professor has been arrested in connection with the theft of more than 200 art objects from the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg police have announced.
Alexander Sobolev, 38, was arrested "on suspicion of involvement in the sale of stolen objects," the officer said, adding that more arrests may occur. Sobolev has been charged with theft and faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Hermitage, once home to Russia's tsars and one of the biggest museums in the world, announced last month the loss of 221 items worth US$5 million (or 3.9 million euros). Experts have put the market value of the items several times higher.
Police at the weekend announced the arrests of the husband and son of a deceased museum curator over the thefts, as well as the arrest of an antique dealer.
The stolen items included jewel-encrusted icons and other religious objects, jewellery and clocks, as well as more mundane items such as salt cellars, sugar bowls, a caviar scoop and a coffee pot. Some experts have said the items could fetch as much as US$100 million.
So far, 15 of the items have been returned, some by antique dealers, others anonymously. One valuable icon from the collection was found in a large city garbage container.
The museum's management has pointed the finger at museum staff for carrying out the thefts, which are thought to have occurred over several years.
The Hermitage's director, Boris Piotrovsky, was issued a formal reprimand for "improper behaviour" by the head of Russia's federal agency for culture and cinematography on Friday, according to the Interfax news agency.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered an inspection of all Russian museums following the Hermitage thefts and an announcement Tuesday that 2,000 drawings by avant-garde artist Yakov Chernikhov had been stolen from state archives.
