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Photo: Israel Museum
Israeli police bust Palestinian artifact thieves
Two Palestinians charged with looting, trying to sell ancient papyrus document from date from 2nd century A.D. said to be worth millions
Israeli police say they have arrested two Palestinians on charges of looting and trying to sell an ancient papyrus document.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says police followed the men for weeks and arrested them Tuesday when they tried to sell the document at a hotel.
Rosenfeld said Wednesday that the document is believed to be worth millions of dollars and six inches by six inches (15 centimeters by 15 centimeters). Suspected of illegally trafficking in antiquities, the two suspects face several years in prison if convicted.
The papyrus is believed to date from the 2nd century A.D. and is a legal document in which a widow named Miriam Bat Yaakov transferred her property to her late husband's brother.
