New Bedford Whaling Museum artifact thief is going to prison. Here's what he had to say.
NEW BEDFORD —The man who stole 190 artifacts from the New Bedford Whaling Museum worth $150,000 while working as a maintenance man was sentenced to three to five years in state prison Friday.
Robert M. Burchell, 44, pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court to one count of larceny over $1,200 and six counts of larceny under $1,200.
He must serve two years of probation after his prison sentence, and pay restitution to pawnbrokers in New Bedford and Taunton where he sold some of the items.
Judge William White Jr. asked Burchell if he had anything to say prior to sentencing.
Burchell apologizes to Museum CEO, staff
Burchell turned around to face the courtroom where New Bedford Whaling Museum President and CEO Amanda McMullen was sitting.
"I would like to apologize to the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Amanda, I'm very sorry for what I've done. And to the whole Whaling Museum, I'm truly sorry. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. So sorry."
Assistant District Attorney Michael Scott said most of the items had been recovered and returned to the museum, though 30 remain missing and six were melted down or destroyed.
He made less than $14,000 for the stolen items
He said Burchell made $13,871 from the thefts.
How it started: Suspect in Whaling Museum's $75,000 artifact theft 'seemed likable'. How he got caught.
Scott said Burchell was hired at the Museum in late 2021 as a maintenance worker.
He had keys and general access to all areas, including where the artifacts and historical items were stored.
Roughly a year later he began stealing and selling items, including paper currency, gold jewelry items, antique pocket watches and other artifacts to a coin and jewelry shop in West Bridgewater.
He told the shop owner he had came across the items cleaning out a relative's storage unit.
Shop owner became suspicious after scrimshaw sale
The owner became suspicious when Burchell sold him scrimshaw carvings.
The owner went online and learned that Burchell worked for the Museum, and the pieces were from the Museum. He called police.
Burchell was approached by police at the Museum, Scott said, and essentially caught red-handed.
He acknowledged making the thefts in a subsequent police interview and selling them in local pawn and jewelry shops.
Burchell violated trust put in him
Scott said Burchell was remorseful for what he did, but did have a significant criminal past, and had violated the trust put in him.
"He was given a chance to move his life in a positive direction, but he blew it," Scott said.
Attorney Brian Fahy, who represented Burchell, said he had a difficult upbringing and had developed a drug addiction after being prescribed pain killers.
Burchell remorseful about the thefts
But Burchell was deeply remorseful about the thefts, Fahy said. "He's here to accept responsibility."
The investigation: Whale's tooth points way to $150,000 in thefts from New Bedford Whaling Museum
Judge White said Burchell failed to appreciate where he was working.
"People don't go to the Museum just to walk through. People go there to learn and be inspired," he said.
The Whaling Museum provides access to history - "one of the doors we can peer through."
Each item stolen has its own history
He added, "The items, the watches, the jewelry, the historical currency, the artifacts, they're all direct links to the past."
Burchell violated the trust of those who were charged with their care.
"The people who hired you expected the best from you and you took advantage of that," he said.
White said he hoped Burchell had read victim letters from Whaling Museum staff. They note that each of the items comes with a personal story.
"None of those items you pawned were junk. There were precious stories associated with each of those items."
New Bedford Whaling Museum Chief Curator Naomi Slipp wrote, "Each item has a story. Every single artifact in our collection is connected to a person."
The artifacts come with fascinating stories
One of the items wasn't just a scrimshaw, she added. It was the product of a young whaler on his first voyage depicting a sperm whale's capture off New Zealand in 1836.
A miniature portrait of a sea captain on ivory from 1810 was a memento he had made for his wife and children if he was lost at sea.
One of the pocket watches commemorated the daring aid provided by a ship master to rescue imprisoned Irish revolutionaries from an Australian prison in 1876, Slipp stated.
Judge says it's now up to Burchell
White said that he was impressed by letters given to him in support of Burchell. He said the authors saw some good in him.
"I don't think they're going to give up on you."
But, he said, it's up to Burchell.
"This is a crossroads for you. I hope when you finish the sentence you get on the right path."
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford Whaling Museum artifact thief sentenced to prison
