Arrested suspect in Mallawi Museum robbery possessed 13 stolen artifacts

The Egyptian Interior Ministry has announced that they have arrested a suspect in the case of stolen artifacts from the Mallawi Museum. Essam al-Sakkat, 36, resident of Mallawi is a butcher by trade, and had reportedly been convicted before in 18 cases of cattle theft, drug trafficking and possession of unlicensed weapons. The Antiquities and Museums Investigation Bureau learnt that he was was looking for someone to buy artefacts that had been stolen from the Mallawi Museum.

An undercover agent posed as a buyer interested in the artifacts and upon meeting al-Sakkat in Giza, he arrested him while al-Sakkat was exhibiting 13 pieces of artifacts that were recorded missing from the museum. Sakkat admitted to the charge and was taken to the prosecution for investigation.

 'Arrested suspect in Mallawi Museum robbery possessed 13 stolen artifacts' Al-Masry Al-Youm Tue, 17/09/2013