o sweep up junk those sappy gift-shop paintings of kids with enormous eyes, for example, which no serious collector would covet. (Lowenthal) On the other hand some of these thefts are being done by some of the best in the business. Some thieves have turned out to be professionals who, following fashion, switched from robbing video stores to burgling art. Some are actually specialists in vehicle thievery; they make off with a truck then discover that the freight includes some salable pictures. A few are insiders with easy access: doormen, night watchmen, butlers, occasionally even a curator satisfying a longing to own art he or she cant afford. (Lowenthal) With the demand of art increasing, museums and auction houses want to have the best of what there is to offer on display. Placing the best on display causes more of a risk of theft to take place. This is just one of the many issues that these places are faced with. The issue facing security managers and owners of museums and galleries is this: Works of art are meant to be seen by the public or potential purchasers. Visitors expect to be allowed to scrutinize the objects on display. Thus, the museums assets are immediately susceptible to theft or damage, whether accidental or deliberate. (Burrows, p.34) Therefore a type of security must be in place to prevent this from happening. How should this security system designed? In designing museum security, I suggest a three-step approach: (1) List what to protect. (2) Consider what is likely to happen to it. (3) Consider action to counter the threat. (Burrows, p.34)List what to protect:This step seems obvious, yet is all too often neglected. Careful cataloging when goods arrive not only helps with future insurance claims but also greatly eases ongoing checks and any later disputes as to when damage occurred. In fact, more loss may occur through accidental damage during the setup of displays than through theft. In addition, damage may not be ...
