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In the early hours of Friday morning, a man reportedly broke into the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology located in Caboolture, Moreton Bay, near Brisbane. The incident, which occurred around 3 a.m., resulted in the theft of several valuable artifacts.
Heartbroken by the burglary, the museum expressed its sorrow on Facebook, revealing that among the stolen items were a gilded cartonnage mask and a statue of a cat.
The investigation took a turn on Saturday afternoon around 1:30 p.m. when police officers conducted a search of a Toyota HiAce camper van parked at the Redland Bay ferry terminal.
During the search, detectives successfully recovered most of the stolen artifacts, although the wooden cat sculpture was notably absent.
Later that evening, at approximately 7 p.m., authorities apprehended a 52-year-old man without a fixed address on Russell Island. He was subsequently taken to the Cleveland Watchhouse, according to police reports.
Police allege the man had the cat sculpture.
He has been charged with enter premises and commit indictable offence by break, and three counts of wilful damage.
He was also charged with trespass and assault occasioning bodily harm in relation to an incident at a Noosa property on Hastings Street on 12 February.
He is due to appear in Cleveland Magistrates Court tomorrow.
The museum said it was “relieved and grateful” but said the items won’t be going straight back on display.
“Each piece must first undergo professional assessment and conservation to protect its long-term future,” it said on Facebook.
“The exhibition area also sustained damage and will require careful repair and rebuilding before the objects can safely return to display.”