Physicist's Nobel Prize medal stolen from University museum

[willieboyd2]

Physicist's Nobel Prize stolen from UC museum

 

Famed physicist Ernest O. Lawrence's Nobel Prize -- a medal made of 23-karat gold and worth about $4,000 -- has been stolen from a locked display case at the Lawrence Hall of Science in the Berkeley hills, police said.

 

University of California-Berkeley police said Monday that the coin-like 1939 Nobel Prize in physics was displayed with other artifacts from Lawrence's life and work in the sprawling E.O. Lawrence Memorial Room at the science museum.

 

Police had no suspects in the grand theft Monday, but a reward has been offered. Museum staff members say they aren't taking the theft lightly.

 

``It is a Nobel medal so there is potential that it could go outside of Berkeley,'' Celaya said.

 

The prize weighs about four ounces and is 2 1/2 inches in diameter, Schneider said.

 

The hall of science is offering a $2,500 reward for its safe return and information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever stole it.

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...al/16840100.htm

 

[willieboyd2]

Cal biology student arrested in theft of Nobel Prize

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

 

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

 

(03-07) 14:05 PST BERKELEY

 

A UC Berkeley biology student was arrested today on suspicion of stealing the first Nobel Prize the university ever received, a medallion that had been in a display case at the Lawrence Hall of Science, campus police said.

 

Ian Michael Sanchez, 22, a senior who worked at the hands-on science museum, was taken into custody today and booked on suspicion of felony grand theft for allegedly stealing the 23-karat gold medal worth $4,200, UC Berkeley police said.

 

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c...AGMFOH40K22.DTL

 

[scoutjim99]

wow that was a serious waste of time going to class for 4 years and for what to meet bubba at the local slammer, this should be on Americas stupidist people