Bristol City Council has called for the public’s help in identifying people who may have been connected to a ‘high-value burglary’ of museum artefacts.

The incident that took place in the early hours of September 25 involved the theft of over 600 items from the Bristol Museum’s British Empire and Commonwealth collection, with the stolen items ranging from militaria and jewellery to decorative art items and natural history pieces.

In a statement published yesterday, the council urged the public to assist in identifying the individuals that detectives would like to speak to and provided descriptions of the ‘four unknown males’ who had entered a building where the items were kept on September 25.

Avon and Somerset Police’s investigation has so far included ‘significant CCTV enquiries’, forensic investigations, and conversations with victims, according to case officer DC Dan Burgan.

He said that ‘the theft of many items which carry a significant cultural value is a significant loss for the city’, and appealed to members of the community to help ‘bring those responsible to justice’.

Philip Walker, Head of Culture and Creative Industries at Bristol City Council, said the council is ‘deeply saddened by the theft’.

He added: ‘These artefacts were part of a collection that documents the links between Britain and countries formerly part of the British Empire from the late 18th century to the late 20th Century.

‘The collection is of cultural significance to many countries and provides an invaluable record and insight into the lives of those involved in and affected by the British Empire.’

Mr Walker also confirmed that security measures have been strengthened since the incident and explained that the local authority will continue to ‘work closely with officers’ during the investigation.