Report: Museum guards fell for ruse

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 5 (UPI) -- Police in Canada suspect an experienced thief tricked guards into ignoring security alarms during an art theft at the University of British Columbia.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Wednesday that the prime suspect in the May 23 multimillion dollar theft at the Museum of Anthropology is a Vancouver thief who specializes in knocking off jewelry stores first taking out sophisticated security systems.

Citing police sources, the CBS said the suspect was out of jail the night someone stole at least 12 artworks valued at $2 million from the museum -- and the techniques the suspect is known for were used in the UBC job.

Some key surveillance cameras at the museum went offline without explanation about four hours before the break-in, at about the same time someone called campus security claiming to be with the alarm company, and telling security officers there was a problem with the system and advising them to ignore any alarms that might go off.

Security officers took the bait and disregarded an automated computer alert, sources told CBC News.