Mystery at the museum: The hunt for Truman’s treasures

More than four decades ago, the Harry S.

Truman Presidential Library & Museum found itself at the center of a heist.

NEW AT TEN: MORE THANFOUR DECADES AGO THETRUMAN LIBRARY ININDEPENDENCE FOUNDITSELF AT THE CENTER OFA HEIST.THAT HEIST REMAINS THEMOST EXPENSIVE THEFT INPRESIDENTIAL LIBRARYHISTORY.THE THIEVES GOT AWAYWITH PRIZED ARTIFACTS -WHICH TO THIS DAY HAVENOT BEEN RECOVERED.BUT THE MUSEUM ANDTHE FBI HOPE THAT WILLSOON CHANGE.TONIGHT, I-TEAMREPORTER CAT REIDREOPENS THE CASE FILEIN THE SEARCH FORTRUMAN'S TREASURES.THIS INDEPENDENCMUSEUM holds A MYSTEThey're pieces of the trumanpresidency that we've lostHOLES IN THE COLLECTIONAND A HUNT FOR NEWINFORMATION.Bridget Patton/FBI Kansas CityThat may be that one piece ofthe puzzle that we need tobring these national treasuresback to the libraryIT'S A CASE AS COLD ASTHE SNOW THAT FELL ONEMARCH DAY.BauskeThere hasn't been a trace asto where they wentThat was 43 years agoTHESE are THE TRUMANTREASURES TAKEN..SWORDS AND DAGGERSVALUED AT ONE MILLIONDOLLARS.Bauske-They had embeddeddiamonds and rubies andsapphires, a number ofprecious stones in their hiltsand in their scabbards."PRICELESS IN TERMS OFHISTORY.Bauske-these were gifts to the unitedstates, and they;ve beenstolen from the united statesONE SWORD WAS APRESENT FROM THE SHAHOF IRANTHE CROWN PRINCE OFSAUDI ARABIA PRESENTEDTHREE OTHER PIECESTO PRESIDENT TRUMAN INPERSONAND LATER, ANOTHER GIFTCAME FROM saudi arabia'sKING HIMSELF.Bauske-Truman had sent his personaldoctor, wallace graham, tosaudi arabia to treat the kingof saudi arabia.

And ingratitude he gave truman thatlast daggerTHE SWORDS ANDDAGGERS WEREDISPLAYED IN A PLACE OFPROMINENCE- AT THEENTRANCE OF THEMUSEUMNat of ClayThey were there for 20 yearsUNTIL MARCH 24, 1978POLICE RECORDS WPULLED ARE FADED FROMTIME BUT STILL OFFERCLUES.AT 6:20 AM- ON THE NORTHSIDE OF THE BUILDINGTHERE WAS ONE SECURITYGUARD ON DUTY-THE GUARD AND AMAINTENANCE MAN SAW AWOMAN PULL UP AND PARKHER BLACK OLDSMOBILEJUST ACROSS THE STREETSHE WALKED AROUND THECAR- THEN GOT BACK INAND DROVE OFFBauske-Some of the speculation isthat that might have been alookoutMINUTES LATER THE HEISTBEGANIN 45 SECONDS-THETHIEVES SMASHED THGLASS BY THE FRONTDOOR OF THE LIBRARYTHEN-Bauske-They ran in and smashed anexhibit caseAFTER HEARING AN ALARMGO OFF- THE SECURITYGUARD RAN DOWN A LONGCORRIDOR FROM THENORTH TO THE SOUTHSIDE OF THE LIBRARYWHEN HE GOT TO THEDOUBLE DOORS LEADINGTO THE EXHIBIT- HE HEARDA CHAIN RATTLINGTHE THIEVES HAD LOCKEDTHE DOORS FROM THEOTHER SIDEBauske-That gave them a few extraseconds to pilfer things out ofthe case and then go back outthe windowCat Reid-The thieves didn't leave afingerprints behind.

The onlyclues were the ones they leftin the snowBauske-They found two sets offootprints.THE FBI SAYS THE TWOSUSPECTS LIKELY KNEWTHE LIBRARY'S SECURITYPROCEDURESNOT MUCH ELSE IS KNOWNABOUT THEM OR WHATHAPPENED TO THETREASURESCOULD THEY HAVE BEENMELTED DOWN, THEPRECIOUS STONESREMOVED AND SOLD?OR- WAS THE BREAK INMUCH MORESOPHISTICATED?AN OLD NEWSPAPERCLIPPING REVEALS ONETHEORY SUGGESTED BYKANSAS CITY STARREPORTER JAMESKINDALL-SOMEWHERE IN THEUNITED STATES ORPOSSIBLY ABROAD, ACOLLECTOR, CLAD IN ASMOKING JACKET ANDSIPPING AN EXPENSIVELIQUEUR, SITS IN A VAULTDEEP IN THE BOWELS OFHIS MANSION AND SMILESON A WALL IN FRONT OFHIM IS THE OBJECT OF HISSATISFACTION- THE ARRAYSWORDS AND DAGGERSNOW THERE'S A NEWFOCUS ON CRACKING THECASETHE FBI ANNOUNCED AREWARD OF UP TO 10,000DOLLARS FORINFORMATION LEADING TOTHE RECOVERY OF THEITEMSBridget Patton/FBIWe;re hoping that with thisinvestigation, with thereemphasis and theannouncement of this award,that someone somewhereknows something and iswilling to come forwardTHE FBI HAS AN ARTCRIMES TEAM CREATED TOINVESTIGATE CASES LIKETHIS ONEPatton-We want to see themreturned.

We want to seethem back on display in thepresidential library so thateveryone can enjoy themA HOPE SHARED BY THOSEAT THE MUSEUM- AS THEYGET READY TO REOPENITS DOORSBauske-They would have a veryprominent place of display, butin a much more securefashionFOR THE I-TEAMCAT REID, 41 ACTIONNEWSTHIS WAS THE SECONDTHEFT AT THE MUSEUM.IN 1962 THIEVES BROKE INAND STOLE A COLLECTIONOF COINS THAT WERE ONDISPLAY.DONORS FROM AROUNDTHE COUNTY RALLIED TOREPLACE THE COINS -WHICH CAN BE FOUND ATTHE FEDERAL RESERVEBANK IN KANSAS CITY.IF YOU CLICK ON OURSTORY AT KSHB.COMYOU'LL FIND THISINTERACTIVE MAP --WHERE YOU CAN EXAMINETHE VARIOUS CLUES INTHIS CASE.AND TOMORROWMORNING AT SIX -- WE'LLDIVE INTO OTHER HIGH-PROFILE THEFTS THE FBIIS INVESTIGATTING INMISSOURI.IF YOU HAVE INFORMATIONABOUT THE STOLENSWORDS AND DAGGERSCALL THE FBI IN KANSASCITY OR SUBMITINFORMATION ONLINE ATTIPS.

FBI.

GOV.ALSO BE SURE