To some, they may be just some old, brown pots, but for an artcollector they are $20,000 worth of cultural value.
And for the LSU Rural Life Museum, the pots are a small lostfortune.
On Sept. 26, LSU Police responded to a call from the museum offEssen Lane to investigate the alleged theft of five potterypieces.
At the time of the incident, LSUPD Maj. Ricky Adams said thealleged theft occurred sometime between Sept. 19 and Sept. 26.
Immediately, LSU Police began the investigation, the first ofits kind at the Rural Life Museum, but after a month, they stillhave no leads.
But museum director David Floyd said with an art theft, theyeither find the property or thief right away, or years after.
“The type of person that stole it — they knew what theywanted,” Floyd said.
He said it is one of three types of people.
It was a thief hired by a collector, a collector himself or aregular thief who intended to sell the art, Floyd said.
Adams said LSUPD contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigationand Interpol, an international police organization, to help watchout for the pottery pieces.
Floyd said he thinks the crime was interrupted by a securityguard or police.
“They did not take their time,” Floyd said, implying that thethief acted sloppily.
He also said the museum did not have 24-hour security, but saidthat would change soon.
“There’s about to be,” he said. “We’re undergoing a securityevaluation now.”
The Rural Life Museum features tools, furniture, equipment andutensils indicative of life before industrialization.
Floyd said the pots estimated value is between $20,000 and$30,000, but noted “it is not about the money, as much as theaesthetic beauty they provide.”