Examples of stolen fossils and information on how they might be identified can be found at:
https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/university/current-topics/stolen-fossils
Anyone who has spotted one of the items shown, seen them being offered for sale—e.g. online, on fossil shows, trading platforms or in a store—or noticed anything else that might be relevant is asked to contact the Bonn Police without delay. The unit responsible is:
Criminal Investigation Division 13, Phone +49 228 15-0, Email: kk13.bonn@polizei.nrw.de
The University would strongly advise people not to contact potential sellers of the stolen items on their own initiative.
Exactly when the theft took place is currently still being investigated. The renovation work began in December 2023.
The University would ask the public to understand that, out of consideration for the ongoing investigation, no details regarding the incident or the extent of the loss can be provided.
Besides the damage caused to the museum building and the theoretical market value of individual items, however, the theft also represents a loss of considerable intellectual significance, as every exhibit stolen from the historical collection, which stretches back to the institute’s founder Georg August Goldfuß (1782—1848), can now no longer be used for research or teaching purposes.
Media contact:
Prof. Dr. Andreas Archut
University Communications
Phone: +49 228 73-5980
Email: kommunikation@uni-bonn.de
