[MSN] Brothers arrested in theft of historic objects

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Brothers arrested in theft of historic objects
August 16, 2006, 6:11 PM EDT

ALBION, N.Y. (AP) _ Three brothers are accused of stealing hundreds of 
antiques and collectibles from public displays across the state, 
including two presidential Medals of Honor belonging to Civil War 
General Ely Parker.

Michael, Roy and Kenneth Ortiz, all of Orleans County, have been charged 
with criminal possession of stolen property, sheriff's investigators said.

The arrests came after deputies executing search warrants at the 
suspects' homes last month recovered about 450 items that had been 
reported stolen. Several objects were being sold at the Internet auction 
site eBay, Sheriff Scott Hess said.

The brothers had been under investigation since the theft of a historic 
whale's tooth from Palmyra Museum a year ago that was captured on video. 
Police believe the men then stole items from an antique store a block away.

The tooth, valued at $1,700 and believed to be from the mid 1800s, was a 
retirement gift to Civil War Capt. Ira Lakey.

The men also are suspected in the theft of Parker's medals from the 
Niagara County Historical Society in Lockport in late July or early 
August. Parker, a Seneca Indian, received the medals for writing the 
final draft of the Civil War's surrender terms at Appomattox.

Authorities have been working with a dealer, now in South Carolina, to 
recover the medals, Investigator Kenneth Strickland said.

"Right now our goal is to get some of this stuff back to people," 
Strickland said. "We've had antiques dealers coming in, telling us what 
may have been stolen and what may not have. This stuff is from all over 
the state."

Kenneth Ortiz, 30, of Ridgeway, Michael Ortiz, 35, of Albion and Roy 
Ortiz, 32, also of Albion, were being held in Orleans County Jail in 
lieu of $25,000 bail.

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