International research has shown that often the missing or theft of documentary heritage is not always discovered immediately. In most cases the theft is discovered in a later, when the documents show up on the market. Implementing safety and securities policies can help prevent theft and encourage a proactive response.
- If a theft is discovered, does your institution have sufficient knowledge of national and international law and of processes how to handle reporting the incident?
- Would you feel comfortable reporting theft to law enforcement? Would the responsibility to report be outweighed by concerns about negative publicity?
- If a document turns up on the market and you recognize is as stolen from your institution: do you know what options exist for return procedures and preventing the sale?
- Are you familiar with methods to define the provenance of items in your collection, including chain of custody?