Curator arrested over Indonesia museum theft

The recent alleged thefts are not the first to strike the museum, which sits in a city that is a historic centre of high Javanese culture.

Before being named a suspect in the current theft case, curator Dharmodipuro told Antara news wire that the thefts were the third suffered by the museum.

Earlier stolen items include a crystal fruit tray presented by Napoleon Bonaparte to then ruler of Surakarta, Paku Buwono IV, the Jakarta Post daily reported.

Police have shut down the 117-year-old museum while they investigate.

Java has many ancient sites dating back to the Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms which flourished on its lush plains from the seventh century onwards.