Behind the Heist of a Chinese Terra-Cotta Warrior's Thumb

An international uproar surrounding a priceless Chinese Terra-Cotta Warrior has emerged in Philadelphia.

On December 21, Delaware resident Michael Rohana attended a pre-Christmas party at the city’s Franklin Institute, decked out in a green sweater and a Phillies hat. Around 9:15 that night, surveillance footage allegedly shows Rohana and some friends sneaking into a closed exhibition that contains 10 of the famous terra-cotta warriors, as well as coins, gold pieces, jade, and weapons from the excavation site. The exhibit has been on loan from China since September. Shortly after the group entered, everyone left except Rohana. In the footage, Rohana is seen examining the exhibit by using his smartphone flashlight. He appears to take a selfie with one of the terra-cotta soldier and embrace it. And then he can be seen putting his hand on the left hand of the figure.

That’s when he allegedly broke off the terra-cotta soldier’s thumb. The museum staff noticed the missing digit on Jan. 8 and traced the alleged vandalism back to Rohana, where he reportedly admitted that he kept it in his bedroom. He was arrested and charged with theft and concealment of a major artwork, as well as interstate transportation of stolen goods, according to National Geographic.

After surrendering his passport, he was released on bail on February 16. The Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center, who loaned the statues to the Franklin Institute, called the museum “careless” and said it was going to send two experts to assess the damage and repair the statue. The statues were discovered more than 40 years ago, and the center has since organized more than 260 overseas exhibits — without incident until now. The Cavalryman statue is roughly 2,000 years old and was originally worth an estimated $4.5 million, but is priceless in its historical value for its home country as part of a larger find of Emperor Qin’s Tomb. The Franklin Institute released a statement that said its external security contractor did not follow standard closing protocol the night of the party, and the “museum has reviewed its security measures and procedures to prevent future situations like this.”