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Precious history smash and grab - 14th June 2021

Over £1million of gold and silver items have been stolen from a castle in Sussex, England.

A gold rosary was among the precious treasures stolen during the robbery at Arundel Castle. The Catholic prayer beads were held by Mary Queen of Scots as she was executed in 1587.

Arundel Castle only recently reopened to the public after Covid restrictions were relaxed. Police reported that the thieves had accessed the property through a window. They then smashed a glass cabinet to grab the gold and silver inside.

The castle spokesman explained that although the rosary’s gold wasn't very valuable it was “irreplaceable”. The rosary beads’ value came from their historical significance.

Professor Kate Williams of Reading University explained the rosary was especially rare because of its history. Mary Queen of Scots lost her throne but still wanted to become Queen of England. She escaped to England and asked for protection from her cousin, England’s Queen Elizabeth I.

Powerful people in Scotland destroyed most of Mary’s belongings. Then, after she was executed, almost all her possessions were burned. People were afraid they would be used by political groups. Her rosary was one tiny object which had survived.

However, there are a surprising number of thefts of cultural objects. The items are often stolen to order by professional thieves who are contracted by wealthy collectors. These cultural objects are usually discovered on display in the homes of the wealthy.