by Sam Hearn
to be cursed.
At the time of writing, the
Alpine Star is safely back in the
museum’s collection, and will be shown
in a temporary display, pending an
independent security review and ongoing
police investigations.
News > Museums > London
THE ALPINE STAR
Arts Online
66
Yeah, of course!
Everyone’s been
messaging about it!
Ms DeRossi’s class were
there when it happened.
Yeah, and the Baker
Boys’ dad too!
Shut up!?
Oh, WOW. Baker Street
Academy is gonna be
famous!
My dad says the police
knew what was going on
already. They always do.
Someone told me James
Moriarty knows who did
it...
Oh my god.
Did you hear about what
happened at the museum?
I saw Sherlock
on TV!
Back at school...
67
But ... but
... but,
Dad...
I’m sorry. I’ll
make it up to you, I
promise.
But why? I
want to help.
I can find
it. I know I
can! You’ll
see.
OK. I’m
sorry. It
won’t happen
again.
Yes.
Bye, Dad.
68
Wow. School was unbelievably crazy this week.
Pretty much everyone was talking about the
Alpine Star and what happened when our class
was at the museum.
It’s not every day you’re right slap-bang in the
middle of a jewel theft gone wrong…
Apparently Ms DeRossi and Mr Gapp even had
to be interviewed by the police – and someone
said that Martin and Henry’s dad, Inspector
Baker, would be coming into school soon to
speak to the whole class too. Double crazy!
“So where did you get to when all the craziness
started?” I asked Sherlock, when the three of us
finally had a minute alone . “I didn’t
see you once the alarms went off.”
“Yeah, you did your disappearing
act again, didn’t you?” added
Martha, rolling her eyes.
6
69
“I was there, John, don’t worry.
Just following my own line of enquiry.
As it happens, I had a message
from my brother Mycroft the day
before. It seems he had a suspicion
that something interesting would be
happening at the museum besides
our little school visit!”
Tut. Sherlock and his surprises as
usual. I didn’t even know he had a
brother. And
I’m sorry but
Mycroft? What
was with the
weird names?
It wouldn’t
surprise me if
he was some
sort of spy or
something!
“Oh, Mycroft’s really nice, John,”
Martha pointed out helpfully. “He’s
loads older than us. Mum really
likes him too! Sherlock lives with
him.”
70
“Yes, yes, Martha. I’m sure John’ll meet him at
some point. Anyway, Mycroft sent me a message
warning me that something might go down whilst
we were at the museum, so I decided to keep a
close eye on what was going on. The first thing
I noticed was that there were a lot of extra
museum staff around, one of whom I thought was
particularly interesting. After everything started
getting a bit... musical, I noticed that one of the
fire exit doors had been left open – so I slipped
through just to have a look…”
Wow, I thought to myself. This was not the
sort of day that I’d been having at the museum!
Trust Sherlock to be that curious.
“But then just a few moments later I
realized I wasn’t alone. The door opened at
the other end of the corridor I found myself
in, and if I’m not mistaken, the man who came
through it was
our very own
Alpine Star thief
- clutching the
jewel itself!”
Incredible! I just can’t believe how mad
everything has gone in the last few days. Weird
flash mobs, an attempted jewel theft, secret
messages… And Sherlock saw the thief with his
own eyes!
“Ah. But what a jewel, Martha. It was
magnificent! When you see it as the light
catches it, as I did in the corridor … it’s
absolutely brilliant. It transports you to a
different world…”
What! You saw the
thief!? Before the
police got him?!
And all because of a fancy old Victorian jewel!
For many decades, the Alpine Star was the
largest diamond known to man. In Victorian
times it was considered one of the earth’s
rarest treasures. Discovered in the
Beeton Mine in 1887, the largest cut of
the Great Indian White Diamond, it quickly
made its way to Europe - although many
say that it would have been better if it
had never been found in the first place,
considering the misery and misfortune
that have fallen on those who have
claimed ownership of it through the years.
“Eh? Sherlock, how do you know all this stuff?”
“I’ve done my research – and I found this
helpful leaflet. Well, I think we can find the time
for another little visit to the museum to see the
Alpine Star restored to its rightful place. I’ve a
sparkling suspicion that there’s more going on
here than meets the eye...”
Wait a minute. What’s that cheeky-but-loveable
hound Baskerville been up to this time?!
Reports have come in that Baskerville was
seen this morning looking very pleased with
himself indeed, carrying what can only be
described as a STINKY SPORTS SOCK.
Oops! This is Darren. Oh dear,
Dazzer. Losing stuff again, eh?
Ooh, not likely, Darren. Perhaps
our furry friend will bring you a
replacement, if he finds a way
into the changing room again!
Oh, that
Baskerville!
Join us next time for another instalment of canine fun
and games…
Hey! That’s
mine!
My mum’s gonna go nuts. It was
clean when I brought it to school...
Anyone wanna do a swap?
Spotted
So Sherlock, Martha and I arranged to meet
at the B&A again that weekend. I was pretty
excited to be back at the museum, even if
Martha had said it would be too much like
schoolwork. Not for me, though. I knew that
Sherlock was up to something and I wanted to
find out what.
Martha was running a bit
late, so Sherlock
and I headed straight into the museum. After
all the attention it had been getting recently,
the galleries were buzzing with people, and I
almost got lost in the crowds trying to keep up
with Sherlock as he dashed all over the place. I
couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that Sherlock
was planning more than just another fun day
out…
What’s going on,
Sherlock? Why are we
skulking around like a
couple of extra museum
thieves? I thought we
came here to look at
the Alpine Star.
We’re just following up on
something first, John. And
as I suspected, we’re not
the only ones...
7
75
With that Moriarty melted into the throng
of tourists. He really isn’t very nice, is he?
Actually it wouldn’t surprise me if Sherlock had
known all along that James was going to be at
the museum today – he usually seems to know
everything.
And then, a few minutes later we spotted
Ms DeRossi too, hurrying through the crowd.
It was like museum club or something! Sherlock
insisted we didn’t let Ms DeRossi spot us. I
don’t know why we couldn’t just go and say hello.
I could just as easily
say the same about
you, James. What’s your
excuse anyway?
Oh, dear me. Not Sherlock
and his little lapdog again!
Can’t I go anywhere without
you following me?
Me? I’m just making sure I
do some swotting up for
our school project like
a good little boy. Good
luck with … whatever it is
you’re doing.
76
Just then Martha arrived and we told her
who we’d seen.
“One thing’s for sure,” grinned Martha, “she
definitely seems to like history!”
“Well, she is a history teacher,” I pointed
out.
Luckily, Sherlock had decided that we could
finally go and see the famous jewel. We picked
up the 25 Treasures trail where we’d left off on
our visit and worked our way through it until we
got to the Alpine Star.
“Wow, look at it,” cooed Martha. “It’s even
more beautiful than I remembered.”
The three of us stood in front of the diamond.
I had my nose totally squashed up against the
glass cabinet (which you’re not
meant to do, by the way). There
it was, all lit-up and sparkling. It
looked pretty impressive.
“It’s amazing!” I said.
“You’re right. It is amazing,
John,” replied Sherlock with a
mischievous grin on his face.
77
I can’t believe that
thief! What an idiot!
Exactly. So
stupid… What?
Don’t you mean
genius?
Mm-hmm. They did get
away with it.
Well, I suppose I could be
wrong - although that is
deeply unlikely - but I’d say
this one here’s a fake.
Hardly. I mean, who would try
and actually steal something
like this in broad daylight? No
wonder they didn’t get away
with it.
“Yeah, right,” scoffed Martha, sarcastically. “What,
are you a jewel expert now?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes. But there’s no
time for chat – the game is on!”
And before I could get in a “What are you
talking about?” and a “What do you mean it’s a
fake?” Sherlock was marching off out of the room.
78
We’re going live now to our reporter outside the B&A
Museum in London…
From bizarre bunglings to blatant porky-pies,
comedy has turned to outrage at London’s most
famous museum this week.
After the blundering theft attempt made
by Pietro Vencini last week, it seems the B&A
Museum’s curators must now share the
embarrassment as the press are told that their
Alpine Star attraction is actually a fake!
We spoke to some visitors soon after the
discovery was announced.
Terry Raymond, 72, from West London, said:
“Even I said it didn’t look like much of a
special diamond to me, didn’t I, Barbs?”
“You did, Terry,” said
Barbara Raymond.
“You said it looked like
a bit of old plastic.”
MAJOR MUCK-UP AT MUSEUM
MAJOR MUCK-UP AT MUSEUM
And a bit of old plastic is in fact all it is.
What’s next for the B&A Museum, we must wonder.
News that a Shakespeare play has actually been
written in gel pen on tea-stained paper?
Back to you in the studio…
Many thanks. Police have declined to comment
at this stage in the inquiry but we have had a
statement from the representative of the suspect
currently being detained for attempted theft:
“I refer you to our earlier statement:
My client, Pietro Vencini, is a kind-hearted family
man and an upstanding pillar of the community.
We are co-operating fully with the police and he
is very much hoping to be able to return again
to the museum. Thank you.”
80
by Benedict Cabbagebat
Once again the British Arts &
Antiquities Museum hits the
news as, in an INCREDIBLE
TWIST, it was revealed to the
press that the Alpine Star jewel
– one of the main attractions
in the current 25 Treasures
exhibition – is nothing more
than a remarkable fake!
A diamond-authentication
expert noticed that not all was
as it seemed during the planned
security review, following last
week’s infamous “Flash Rob”
incident. Just what this means for
the 25 Treasures exhibition and
the museum’s vast and up-till-
now highly respected collections
is yet to be seen…
FORCE FIND FAKE
81
https://www.artsonline.co.uk/news-museums-london-b&a-robbery-on
Arts Online: Ne..
Confusion and speculation has followed the most
recent revelation from the B&A museum that the
recovered Alpine Star gemstone is actually nothing
more than a highly skilled fake.
The discovery was only made
after a bungled jewel theft
earlier in the week.
The museum’s director,
Mr Humphrey Huffington, was
quick to issue a statement:
“On behalf of the British Arts
& Antiquities Museum I would
like to say that this institution
has never knowingly deceived
the Great British public by
exhibiting any object that is a fake or a forgery.
Needless to say, we are as stunned as everyone
during the attempted robbery.”
So if Humphrey Huffington is correct and the
real gem was swapped during the “robbery”, the
question is – where is the Alpine Star?
News > Museums > London
MUSEUM MYSTERY
Arts Online
82
Whoa! Three guesses what everybody was
talking about back at school. I just can’t believe
it. Not so long ago I was just your average,
ordinary everyday kid, with his nose in a book
or a pencil in his hand, making up stories – but
fast-forward to Baker Street Academy and
bang! No need to invent stories any more – it
seems like every day a new one is beginning…
I tried to get some answers from Sherlock.
“John.” Martha was looking at me with one
of those looks on her face. “I think Sherlock’s
head is big enough already.”
So, first it
was stolen -
- then it wasn’t
stolen -
- then it was fake -
but actually not really
a fake? - and you
knew all along!
But, Sherlock,
that’s brilliant.
Well, I had a
hunch, John, yes.
Right
Yes
Well, I wouldn’t
say that, but…
That’s amazing!
I mean—
It’s just so-
But it’s just
so clever!
“But what happens now then?” I babbled on. “I
mean, do you think the real jewel is still out there
somewhere? It could’ve been missing for years!
Do you think we’ll be able to find it?”
Really? I thought it was
rather obvious myself.
Yes. Presumably. I doubt it.
I should think so. That’s a
lot of questions, Watson.
It’s definitely an LPP.
John.
Yeah.
Definitely. Um
- What?
In fact I’d go so
far as to say it
was a three LPP.
What’s an
LPP?
A liquorice pipe
problem, John!
Here. You should
try one.
85
Yuck! I did try one. It was disgusting.
I don’t think anybody got much
work done that day. In class