When you buy something from a store, you don’t always think about where the item came from before it went in stock.
Laura Young from Austin, Texas, was in for a surprise when she bought a statue bust for a low price at a secondhand store. The statue actually turned out to be an ancient Roman artifact that was stolen from a museum in San Antonio.
Before it was reported missing, the bust was displayed in the San Antonio Museum of Art. Young bought it from a Goodwill store for only $34.99 and took it home without knowing it was stolen.
The statue, known as Pompejanum, was built by Ludwig I of Bavaria. Unfortunately, it was severely damaged by Allied bombers during World War II.
Young learned of Pompejanum’s origins through contact with experts in the classics and art history departments at the University of Texas at Austin.
Ashinda Fowler, a senior at WJPS said, “I would call the museum, return the item and get my money back.”
The University of Texas verified that the statue was a stolen artifact from a museum in Germany. Pompejanum will be on display in San Antonio in May 2023 before returning to Germany.
Documents say that Young will be compensated for returning Pompejanum, but the exact amount is not disclosed.
Ms. Papazoglou, WJPS teacher, said, “I would return it.”
So next time you buy an item from a store, whether it’s cheap or expensive, give some thought to its origin. Who knows, you might just buy something that’s stolen from somewhere.
