OAKLAND, CA – The Oakland Police Department, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is investigating a burglary in which more than 1,000 historic items were stolen from the Oakland Museum of California’s off-site storage facility.
According to police, the break-in occurred just before 3:30 a.m. on October 15, 2025. The stolen collection includes Native American baskets, jewelry, laptops, and other historic artifacts.
“The theft that occurred represents a brazen act that robs the public of our state’s cultural heritage,” said Oakland Museum of California Executive Director and CEO Lori Fogarty. “Most of these objects have been given to the Museum by generous donors. We are working in close partnership with the City of Oakland, the Oakland Police Department, and the FBI to see that these objects are returned.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department’s Burglary Section at (510) 238-3951, or the FBI Art Crime Team at Tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The FBI Art Crime Team, a specialized unit of approximately 20 agents nationwide, investigates crimes involving art theft, fraud, forgery, and cultural property trafficking.
