By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
The FBI has found at least 2,650 missing art pieces or historical artifacts since 2004, according to a review by News4 Washington.
The bureau’s Art Crime Team, a specialized unit to combat art fraud and theft, recovered the pieces.
Agents recently found a stolen historic letter authored by Charles Darwin in 1870s. The letter was stolen from the Smithsonian Archives in Washington D.C. in the 1970s. It was recovered on May 26.
“It is an important part of our heritage,” FBI Special Agent Marc Hess said. “It may not be worth a lot monetarily, but it’s worth a lot to scholars.”
Other cases involve artifacts, paintings and other valuable works of art and history.
The FBI says art theft and fraud is on the rise.
