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Author Topic: Police seek sponsors to tackle rising art crime  (Read 299 times)
Description: PR in return for sponsorship
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Solomon
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« on: January 29, 2007, 04:55:40 PM »


Britain's only specialist art crime squad faces an uncertain future because its funding is to be halved.

The decision has forced the Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit to look for sponsorship "from anyone who will give it".

Senior staff are already talking to two companies which may offer funding.

The arts squad warned just weeks ago that fraudsters were increasingly sophisticated and prolific. Up to ?200 million of faked artefacts and pictures are sold in the UK every year, and police fear they are used as currency to acquire guns, and drugs, and to fund terrorism.

However, Stephen House, the Met's assistant commissioner, has told the unit to expect its funding to be slashed because art crime is not a priority for the force. He wants staff to be 50 per cent self-financing by the end of this year.

A spokesman for the unit said: "We are seeking sponsorship from anyone who will give it. The premise is to get relevant industries behind it because we would be providing a service for the industry. But if a lottery winner wanted to come in and support it, we would probably say 'Yes' ."

The unit, which has 120 investigations on the go at any time, has an annual budget of ?350,000, the bulk of which is spent on salaries for its four officers and three civilians.

In exchange for money, sponsors would be able to publicise their links to the unit and could have their logos on police documents.

The spokesman added: "It is very early stages but we have some irons in the fire. Insurers are one option, museums and galleries are another, although I'm not sure they have a lot of money for this sort of thing."
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Bart
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« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2007, 11:00:40 PM »

"  "We are seeking sponsorship from anyone who will give it. "
"fraudsters were increasingly sophisticated and prolific."

Be careful what you wish for, you might get it. More crime is occurring so less funding is provided to combat it. This is a recipe for disaster, why don't they just say the criminals are winning, and give up?  Think of all the funding that could be saved, and wasted elsewhere. Crime is not a priority? Sounds like an invitation to franchise black market stores on Fleet Street and Rodeo Drive, someone could get very rich doing that.

 'Sponsor' (kickback) a bit to the police to look the other way once in a while, and you're in business. This ought to be a real boon to museums and galleries who consider unprovenanced works.

Since the Iraq War effort is so expensive, why don't we get some funding from the Iraqi's for that? The Buy Us Our Bullets Program could provide 3.7% of the funding currently spent on bullets, and in exchange we would promise not to use those particular bullets on contributors or sponsors, or their families, including uncles, cousins, adopted nieces, and so forth. I thought US politicians held the trophy for asinine thinking, seems like we have a serious contender and an impending challenge in the near future.

That's my cynical rant for the day.  GrinGrinGrin

- Bart
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Learning is a treasure which accompanies its owner everywhere.
Solomon
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« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2007, 11:19:34 PM »

Maybe self-funding could be applied to other government departments. Gentlemen receiving an honorarium instead of professional politicians, judges and civil servants. Now that could work  Grin

I have contacted these chaps to see if we can help. We have the expertise they seek and maybe this site could have a role in publicising stolen objets d'art.

Solomon
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Bart
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« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2007, 11:49:59 PM »

I had that same idea myself, the few sites that do that sort of thing are not very good at it. Now that I have vented, I can attempt to think a bit more rationally.  Wink

Let me know when the thread goes up, I see things that could go there quite often.

- Bart
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Diving Doc
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« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2007, 12:02:50 AM »

If our offer of help is accepted I expect that everyone involved will be amazed at the response . We have members in 93 countries and I am sure that many, with the same view as ourselves, will be happy to participate in rescuing history.
Cheers Gentlemen,
Doc
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Tags: artefact artifact theft police 
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