According to the previously sealed National Archives documents released under the Freedom of Information Act, John Nevin allegedly stole 2,042 items while working as a backroom assistant at the museum between 1944 and 1953, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

The thefts committed by Nevin, who was 48 when he started stealing, were discovered in 1953 after police found the artifacts at the assistant's Chiswick home, the documents allege.

"Practically everything in the Nevin's three-bedroomed council house, with the exception of the bed linen and items of clothing, was found to be property stolen from the museum, so at the end of the search the rooms were practically bare," a police statement at the time alleged.

Nevin, who was sentenced to three years in prison on 24 counts of theft, defended his actions by citing the beauty of the historical items, The Telegraph reported.

"I couldn't help myself," Nevin said. "I was attracted by the beauty."