Revolutionary-Era Stolen Musket Recovered And Returned to Philadelphia Museum

FBI Public Affairs Specialist Sofia Kettler offers the below piece: 

A musket stolen in the 1960s has been recovered and returned to the Museum of the American Revolution, announced Wayne Jacobs, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division; Jacqueline Romero, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and Kevin Steele, Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) district attorney.

At a ceremony held at Philadelphia’s Museum of the American Revolution, the FBI Art Crime Team, Philadelphia Field Office, Chubb, and partners repatriated a revolutionary-era musket stolen from Valley Forge in October 1968.

In April 2024, the FBI published a story about several historical artifacts still missing from this heist. A short time later, the investigative team received a tip from a member of the public identifying the whereabouts of the musket. From that tip, investigators traced the musket to an antique firearms collector in Maryland.

The investigators then met with the collector, who had no connection to the 1968 heist or knowledge of the artifact's stolen provenance. The collector voluntarily relinquished custody of the musket to the FBI Art Crime Team.

Chubb, the insurer whose predecessor company paid the insurance claim in 1969, became the owner of the musket. The company donated it to the Museum of the American Revolution, signing over the deed at the July 1 ceremony.

“Investigating art and cultural property crime requires diligence, commitment, and collaboration as these cases often cross jurisdictions and may span decades,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia. “We appreciate the assistance from our partners here today, and we thank members of the public who provide tips that are integral to these cases so that we can do our best to investigate, recover, and return to the public domain important artifacts such as this historic firearm that help document our American history.”

“The theft of this musket from the museum kept countless visitors and historians from appreciating and studying it,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Today’s repatriation rights the wrong that was done so many years ago, reopening a window to the past. It’s an honor to help recover and preserve a piece of cultural property that helps tell the story of our nation’s valiant struggle for independence.”

“This historic weapon from the American Revolution was taken and hidden from generations of Americans. Now, this priceless piece of American history will finally be back in its rightful place on view at the Museum of the American Revolution. We are proud to have played a role in returning this historic firearm to the museum,” said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele. "We are so thankful to our law enforcement and insurance partners for helping to bring this historic artifact back into the public trust,” said R. Scott Stephenson, President and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution. “Repatriating the New England musket to our Museum will allow for it to be cared for, further studied and put on display, all of which can inform our evolving understanding of the Revolutionary era and ensure its enduring relevance.”

"Chubb is honored to gift this historic Revolutionary War musket to its rightful home at the Museum of the American Revolution," said Maria Thackston, vice president and mid-Atlantic regional claims executive at Chubb. "There’s been extraordinary collaboration among all partners involved, and we are thrilled future generations will have the opportunity to experience this piece of history."

"We are so thankful to our law enforcement and insurance partners for helping to bring this historic artifact back into the public trust,” said Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, president and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution. “Repatriating the New England musket to our Museum will allow for it to be cared for, further studied and put on display, all of which can inform our evolving understanding of the Revolutionary era and ensure its enduring relevance.”

Special Agent in Charge Jacobs and U.S. Attorney Romero thanked the Upper Merion Township Police Department and Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. They also credited Assistant U.S. Attorney K.T. Newton and the FBI Philadelphia Art Crime Team for their efforts in this case, and the staff of the Museum of the American Revolution and the Chubb Corporation for their continued partnership.

The FBI and our partners are still searching for additional Revolutionary War-era firearms and other relics that were stolen from Valley Forge on October 24, 1968. Law enforcement is also searching for additional items that were looted from different locations in Pennsylvania and New York.

If you recognize any of the items, you should contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by visiting tips.fbi.gov. You can submit tips anonymously.

To learn more about the recovered artifacts, and artifacts we are still looking for, visit fbi.gov/news/stories/historic-firearms-returned-to-philadelphia-museum.

Note: In the above photo, from left to right, is FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent Jake Archer of the FBI Art Crime Team, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jamie Milligan posing with a Revolutionary War-era musket that was returned to the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia on July 1, 2024.