A London museum abruptly shut an exhibition of some of the world's most valuable diamonds yesterday after being warned by police that the show was being targeted by criminals.
The display, billed "the world's most dazzling exhibition" had attracted packed crowds to London's Natural History Museum since July and was
due to run until February.
But museum director Michael Dixon announced suddenly that it had been shut permanently on police advice.
"The Museum's priority is the safety and security of our visitors and staff. Based on police advice, the only responsible course of action in this situation was to close the exhibition," he said in a statement.
London's Metropolitan Police said: "We have received information that leads us to believe that criminals were planning to target this exhibition and for the safety of staff, visitors and exhibition specimens, we have advised the management to close the exhibition with immediate effect."
The police gave no further details about the nature of the threat. The museum said it would refund ticket-holders.
"Since we began planning this exhibition, we have followed police advice to the letter in terms of ensuring the security of our staff, our visitors and the exhibition specimens," Dixon said.
"That advice changed on the afternoon of Tuesday, 22 November. It indicated a heightened criminal risk to the exhibition."
- REUTERS
