Ex-worker allegedly shuts down British Museum’s IT

Contractor was dismissed last week and returned days later

A former British Museum employee has allegedly attacked the institution’s IT network, forcing partial closure at the end of last week.

The museum says the contractor, who was recently dismissed, entered the building and shut down computer systems before being apprehended.

As a result, the popular tourist attraction was forced to close its temporary exhibits and part of its permanent collection over the weekend, offering refunds as a result.

In a statement the museum said, "An IT contractor who was dismissed last week trespassed into the museum and shut down several of our systems.

It added, “Police attended and he was arrested at the scene.”

The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers had arrested a man in his 50s at the scene on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage. He has since been bailed “pending further enquiries.”

The British Museum is the UK’s most popular tourist attraction, holding items including the Rosetta Stone, the Anglo-Saxon ship from Sutton Hoo and two stone moai from Rapa Nui (Easter Island).

It also displays the contested Parthenon Marbles, the return of which Greece has campaigned for for decades.