A brazen overnight break-in at the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, has ended with a 52-year-old man arrested and charged, after police say they recovered most of the stolen ancient Egyptian items from a camper van at a ferry terminal. Among the objects allegedly taken was a striking 2,600-year-old wooden cat sculpture, along with other rare pieces that curators say are delicate and difficult to repair once damaged reports The Guardian.
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Mummy mask and cat sculpture stolen and now recovered from Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Caboolture. (Queensland Police)
What Was Stolen and How It Was Found
Queensland Police said the theft occurred around 3am on Friday after a window was smashed, allowing the offender to enter and remove multiple artifacts from the museum’s ancient Egypt display. Police later located a vehicle of interest at the Cleveland/Redland Bay ferry terminal area on Saturday afternoon, where most of the items were found “relatively undamaged,” and the suspect was then arrested on Russell Island later that evening.
The ABC News reported the stolen objects included a 3,300-year-old necklace, a mummy mask “verified by the British Museum,” and the painted wooden cat figure from Egypt’s 26th Dynasty. Museum staff also described damage to other objects, including a ring and a funerary figurine known as an ushabti (also spelled shabti), a type of tomb statuette intended to serve the deceased in the afterlife.
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This Egyptian neck adornment has also been recovered by Queensland police. (Queensland police)
Police Say the Heist Looked “Amateurish”
In early comments to reporters, Detective Inspector David Harbison said investigators initially considered the possibility of organized crime, but their assessment shifted quickly. He described the break-in as “quite amateurish,” adding that police believed it was “opportunistic,” reports ABC News.
NBC News likewise noted that police recovered the objects with only minor damage, and that the man, described as having no fixed address, was charged with breaking and entering and multiple counts of wilful damage. NBC News
Why Small Museums Can Be Big Targets
High-profile museum thefts often bring to mind blockbuster plots, but heritage crime is frequently more mundane: quick entry, easily carried items, and the hope that a small institution’s security is less robust than a national museum’s. What makes cases like this especially alarming is that damage can occur even when objects are recovered, particularly jewelry, painted wood, and composite pieces that can be bent, crushed, or contaminated by poor handling.
The global backdrop is also grim. Even when stolen artefacts are recovered, the illicit antiquities market continues to incentivize looting and theft, feeding a trade that scholars and investigators say thrives on poor documentation and the ease of moving small, high-value items across borders. (For related AO coverage, see: Antiquities Trafficking.)
Top image: Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology, Caboolture, north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Source: Abbey Museum
By Gary Manners
References
Clayton, F. 2026. Ancient Egyptian artifacts stolen from Australian museum. Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/australia/ancient-egyptian-artifacts-stolen-australian-museum-rcna259138
Smee, B. 2026. Alleged cat burglar arrested after priceless Egyptian artefacts taken in Queensland museum heist. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/15/alleged-cat-burglar-arrested-after-priceless-egyptian-artefacts-taken-in-queensland-museum-heist
Twyford, L. 2026. Egyptian artefacts recovered and arrest made after 'amateur' Caboolture museum heist. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-15/egyptian-artefacts-recovered-arrest/106346564
