From CBS4, Miami.
Wednesday afternoon, at 5:18 p.m., video security cameras recorded two suspects removing the bar from a case that had enabled museum visitors to touch and lift it, while keeping it secure.
Key West police and the FBI are working to identify the suspects who stole the bar, recovered from a wrecked 1622 Spanish galleon off the Florida Keys.
According to Alyson Crean, Key West Police spokeswoman, one suspect is described as a white male, about six feet tall with dark hair and a medium build. The second suspect is about five feet, six inches tall.
The 74.85-ounce bar had been on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum for more than 20 years and is worth about $550,000, according to museum officials.
It was recovered from the Santa Margarita shipwreck in 1980 by the late Key West shipwreck salvor Mel Fisher and his crew, while searching for the Margarita and Nuestra Senora de Atocha galleons.
The exhibit was a highlight of the museum tour because of the unique experience of holding gold worth so much, and for the historical value.
The gold bar is one of the most iconic and best known objects in the museum, according to Melissa Kendrick, the museum's executive director. She said said the museum's insurance company is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the return of the bar.
Fisher is best known for finding over 40 tons of silver and gold were located including over 100,000 Spanish silver coins known as "Pieces of Eight", gold coins, Columbian emeralds, silver and gold artifacts and over 1000 silver bars, from the sunken ship Atocha in 1985.
The find eventually totaled almost half a billion dollars.
Wednesday afternoon, at 5:18 p.m., video security cameras recorded two suspects removing the bar from a case that had enabled museum visitors to touch and lift it, while keeping it secure.
Key West police and the FBI are working to identify the suspects who stole the bar, recovered from a wrecked 1622 Spanish galleon off the Florida Keys.
According to Alyson Crean, Key West Police spokeswoman, one suspect is described as a white male, about six feet tall with dark hair and a medium build. The second suspect is about five feet, six inches tall.
The 74.85-ounce bar had been on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum for more than 20 years and is worth about $550,000, according to museum officials.It was recovered from the Santa Margarita shipwreck in 1980 by the late Key West shipwreck salvor Mel Fisher and his crew, while searching for the Margarita and Nuestra Senora de Atocha galleons.
The exhibit was a highlight of the museum tour because of the unique experience of holding gold worth so much, and for the historical value.
The gold bar is one of the most iconic and best known objects in the museum, according to Melissa Kendrick, the museum's executive director. She said said the museum's insurance company is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the return of the bar.
Fisher is best known for finding over 40 tons of silver and gold were located including over 100,000 Spanish silver coins known as "Pieces of Eight", gold coins, Columbian emeralds, silver and gold artifacts and over 1000 silver bars, from the sunken ship Atocha in 1985.
The find eventually totaled almost half a billion dollars.
6 comments:
Dear Conch:
This is a shame... There is always someone who is compelled to ruin something great for everyone else. In this case, these guys grabbed a piece of history, that the Spanish were in the process of grabbing from the Incas, or somebody else.
I bet the cops grab them.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
I never thought I could get away with it. I am far too bourgeois.
That really sucks!! I have been one of many to touch that bar and dream of being a pirate with a future of luxury ahead of me! I can't believe that someone actually got it out of there and made off with it! That was some thick glass (plexiglass?) that was around that, not to mention it was right out in the open in front of everyone! Where was the staff!
Its probably easier to cut the bar in half and remove it than cut the plexiglass case. Which,of course, is a great shame even if the bar is recovered.
Not so hot on the security of the place.
What a couple of dip shit's....that gold bar should be real easy to unload....idiots....!!!!
Buffalo Bill
Another linage of history, from the ground to the Incas to the Spanish, to modern day thieves. Still, it does ruin it for future generations. It was the highlight to lift the bar.
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