22/10/2012
David Whiteley investigates the theft of treasures from museums across the east and reveals how close the region came to being at the forefront of a third world war 50 years ago.
Rhino horns, a Henry Moore sculpture, Chinese art are just a few of the items stolen from museums across the east in the last year. David Whiteley asks why thefts have increased and finds out what is being done to protect the nation's treasures.
How close did we come to World War 3? Inside Out reveals that 50 years ago during the dispute over Russia's siting of nuclear missiles on Cuba, crews across the east were poised to fire the first missile from bases in the region. The programme also uncovers how those crews were put on a higher state of alert than official records say. Missiles, ready to be launched at five minutes' notice, were prepared in secret. Author Jim Wilson, ex-editor of Anglia News, and the crew members on duty that week tell the story.
It cost 拢7.2 million. It caused a riot. It made headlines around the world. A year after bailiffs tried to evict Travellers camped illegally from Dale Farm, 大象传媒 East reporter Alex Dunlop returns to see what, if anything, has been achieved, and catches up with the latest twist in the tale.
Last on
Cuban missile crisis
How close did we come to World War 3?
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Inside Out reveals that 50 years ago during the dispute over Russia's siting of nuclear missiles on Cuba, crews across the east were poised to fire the first missile from bases in the region.
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The programme also uncovers how those crews were put on a higher state of alert than official records say.
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Missiles, ready to be launched at five minutes' notice, were prepared in secret.
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on the 大象传媒 News website.
Dale Farm evictions
Before the 拢7.2m clearance operation in October last year, Dale Farm was one of Britain's largest traveller communities.
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Half the site had been legally occupied while the rest - a former scrapyard on green belt land - had grown into an illegal settlement of single storey chalets.
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The council has defended its action, saying it was "upholding the law" which "every public body is expected to do".
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But the travellers believe the clearance was a waste of public money which has brought misery to those affected.
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on the 大象传媒 News website about Dale Farm one year on.听
Dale Farm timeline
- 1970s: Basildon Council gives planning permission to 40 English Romany families to live beside a scrapyard
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- 1996: Dale Farm sold to an Irish travelling family for 拢122,000
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- 2001: A growing number of families move in and various planning breaches are reported
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- 2005: Travellers ordered to leave Dale Farm after a planning inspector declares the development illegal
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- 2006: A public inquiry is held
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- 2007: Basildon Council votes to evict 14 families
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- 2009: Lord Justice Pill rules the decision to clear the site is lawful
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- March 2011: Basildon Council votes to go ahead with the eviction
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- October 19, 2011: The eviction begins
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Source: 大象传媒 News
Museum thefts prompt action
Museums across the country are worried about the increase in high profile thefts of valuable objects from their collections.
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At least 111 artefacts have been reported stolen from museums across the east of England alone in the last six years, according to police records.
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The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has set up a national Museum Security Group to examine the growing problem and how to tackle it.
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One of its roles is to provide advice to museums about how best to protect their collections.
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on the 大象传媒 News website.
Museum thefts
Over the past year, several museums in East Anglia have fallen victim to high-profile thefts.
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In Cambridge, Chinese art worth millions of pounds was stolen from the Fitzwilliam museum. A rhino horn was snatched in Ipswich, a very rare medieval jug worth taken in Luton, and Lord Nelson artefacts from the Castle Museum in Norwich.
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But a 大象传媒 Inside Out听investigation has found a far greater number of thefts were carried out over the past six years and received little or no publicity.
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Museums across the region, wary of further comprising the security of their precious artefacts, have had at least 110 items stolen, totalling more than 拢300,000, since 2007.
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听on the 大象传媒 News website.听
Dale Farm
Travellers removed from the Dale Farm site in Essex have been warned the eviction process will continue over their new camp just yards away.
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It is a year since Dale Farm, Europe's largest illegal traveller site, was stormed by hundreds of riot police.
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The cost of the operation was 拢7.2m and about 80 families were moved from the land.
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Caravans were prevented from returning to the site by earth banks and a court injunction.
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on the 大象传媒 News website.
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | David Whiteley |
Reporter | Alex Dunlop |
Broadcast
- Mon 22 Oct 2012 19:30大象传媒 One Cambridgeshire, East & HD only