A 41-year-old man was arrested on Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation into theft at a museum in south-west England involving several artefacts from India.

The Avon and Somerset Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods after over 600 “high value” items were stolen from Bristol Museum's British Empire and Commonwealth collection in September last year.

The arrest follows the release of CCTV footage by the police force of four white male suspects in an appeal for information last month.

“A 41-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an ongoing investigation into the theft of museum artefacts in Bristol," Avon and Somerset Police said in an update this week.

“He was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and was released under investigation. As part of our investigation, we are continuing to identify four people we wished to speak with in connection to high-value burglary from a building in the Cumberland Road area of Bristol on September 25.

“We continue to appeal for the public’s help to identify the four men pictured and have released two short video clips of the people we wish to speak to,” the police force said.

The historic collection targeted at the museum documents the links between Britain and countries in the British Empire from the late 19th century onwards.

Among the items stolen was an ivory Buddha and a waist belt buckle belonging to an East India Company officer.

“The theft of many items which carry a significant cultural value is a significant loss for the city. These items, many of which were donations, form part of a collection that provides insight into a multi-layered part of British history, and we are hoping that members of the public can help us to bring those responsible to justice," Detective Constable Dan Burgan said in the Avon and Somerset Police appeal last month.

The Bristol Museum website states that its British Empire and Commonwealth collection is made up of household belongings, souvenirs, photographs and papers of British people who lived and worked in the colonies.

It is designed to give visitors an insight into the workings of the British Empire and the lives of the people who made it function.

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