'Cat burglar' arrested after priceless Egyptian treasures stolen from museum

Queensland police say they have arrested the so-called "cat burglar" after a dramatic two-day manhunt following a brazen raid on priceless Egyptian treasures.

A 52-year-old man, of no fixed abode, was arrested by Australian police on Russell Island in Moreton Bay on Saturday evening following an extraordinary operation by the force.

Detectives say the suspect smashed his way into the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, at around 3am on Friday.

Under the cover of darkness, he is accused of targeting the museum’s ancient Egypt exhibition — making off with artefacts dating back thousands of years.

Among the stolen items were a 3,300-year-old necklace and a highly significant mummy mask, both considered irreplaceable pieces of history.

Another object at the centre of the investigation was a 2,600-year-old wooden cat sculpture from Egypt’s 26th Dynasty, a rare relic from a civilisation that continues to captivate the modern world.

The suspected theft sparked immediate concern among museum staff and heritage experts, who feared the fragile artefacts could be damaged beyond repair or disappear into the black market.

But in a dramatic breakthrough on Saturday afternoon, police say they located a "vehicle of interest" parked at the Cleveland ferry terminal — some 80 kilometres from the museum.

Inside the camper van, officers allegedly found most of the missing artefacts.

Footage released by police appears to show the ancient mummy mask wrapped inside a Venezuelan flag within the vehicle.

Officers later moved in on Russell Island, where the suspect was taken into custody on Saturday evening.

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The wooden cat sculpture — one of the most symbolically striking items stolen — was allegedly found in his possession.

The scenes have drawn comparisons with the audacious 2025 heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris, where thieves similarly targeted culturally significant works in a bold overnight operation.

Remarkably, authorities have indicated the artefacts appear to have sustained only minor damage.

The accused has been charged with breaking and entering, as well as three counts of wilful damage.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

Questions are now likely to be raised about museum security, the motives behind the alleged crime, and how such priceless artefacts could be targeted in regional Queensland.

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