American Indian artifacts recovered
Joseph Stuart, a recently retired FBI investigator, led the search for a collection of American Indian artifacts stolen from an Indio museum in January 2005. FBI officials held a news conference Friday and returned the items to their owners. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Among the artifacts recovered were eight tightly woven reed baskets made by Californias Cahuilla Indians. Most of them were handed over to the California Department of Parks and Recreation to be put on display in Sacramento. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Nine intricately carved Zuni and Hopi pots were also recovered. The pots originated in the Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico areas, the oldest dating back earlier than 1850. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The items returned Friday were on loan to the Cultural Museum of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians near Palm Springs when they were stolen. Thieves disabled the alarm, broke into a glass case and carried the items away in black trash bags. Three artifacts are still missing. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Theft and trafficking of American Indian art is widespread, in part because of the high demand for Southwestern art in Asia and Europe. The items returned Friday were worth up to $160,000. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Jane Andrade was relieved to recover the artifacts she had lent to the museum. That pottery was given to me by my mother who got it from her mother, said the La Quinta woman, adding that she may try to find a place in her house to display the historical pieces. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
