Nine people charged in museum heists that included Saratoga Springs

Nine people are accused of stealing major artworks from museums around the country, including in Saratoga Springs.

The group stole works of art and sports memorabilia over a period of 20 years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pennsylvania said.

The stolen items include five trophies worth more than $400,000 including the 1903 Belmont Stakes trophy – stolen from the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs.

The Racing Hall of Fame released this statement:

“The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is pleased to learn arrests have been made in conjunction with the 2013 theft of priceless trophies from our institution. We thank law enforcement for their efforts to bring these thieves to justice. The Museum will have no additional comment while the legal process of this matter is still ongoing.”