British Museum director quits over stolen treasures

The director of the British Museum said on Friday he would step down after admitting to failings in its investigation into the theft of items from its collection.

Hartwig Fischer, a German art historian who had led the museum since 2016, said there could have been a better response to warnings that an employee may have been stealing items and the failings "must ultimately" rest with him.

"It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as comprehensively as it should have," he said in a statement.