Palmyra Loot on its Way

Looted funerary reliefs, from Palmyra. (Photo: AP / SANA)

Thieves stole these funerary reliefs in the ancient oasis city of Palmyra. The Syrian police caught the perpetrators not in time to prevent the damage, but they were arrested before they could smuggle their haul out of the countr. See Lynda Albertson ('Do you think art collectors might be tempted to buy Syrian antiquities (looted or otherwise?). We say resoundingly, yes' ARCA Blog November 23, 2014) for what happens perfectly openly at the other end of the chain of criminal activity. Palmyra is not at present in ISIL hands, is that any reason to be complacent about this?