Manhunt underway for historic trophy worth £500,000 stolen from Scottish museum

Dan McDonald
Fri, 01 May 2026 01:14:51 +0000

An international manhunt is underway for a historic gold trophy worth almost £500,000 after it was stolen from one of Scotland’s top museums.

Interpol and auction houses worldwide have received alerts regarding the disappearance of the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy from Glasgow's Riverside Museum.

Museum operator Glasgow Life kept the theft secret for six months following police guidance, fearing that media coverage might prompt criminals to melt down the precious artefact or smuggle it abroad.

The cup vanished from its display cabinet overnight in October 2025, yet officials have only now acknowledged the loss publicly.

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But half a year after the heist, investigators have found no trace of the famous trophy, raising concerns it may never be recovered.

The stolen cup, crafted by renowned jewellers Tiffany and Co, carries an estimated value of £490,000 and is fashioned from 18-carat gold.

Its design is highly recognisable, featuring twin handles and a removable domed lid mounted upon a square silver plinth.

The trophy bears an enamel shield displaying the American flag alongside a depiction of the America's Cup, the prestigious sailing competition Lipton famously pursued throughout his life.

Additional decorative elements include enamel flags representing the Royal Ulster Yacht Club and Shamrock V, Sir Thomas' final racing vessel, complemented by intricate gold ropework.

Four symbolic motifs adorning the silver base in gold relief represent Fraternity, Integrity, Courage and Perseverance.

Sir Thomas' journey from destitution to immense wealth remains one of Glasgow's most celebrated rags-to-riches tales.

Born in 1848 on Crown Street in the Gorbals to parents who had emigrated from Northern Ireland, he was pushing a wheelbarrow at just ten years old, selling basic provisions gathered from vessels moored along the Clyde.

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His fascination with seafaring led him to work as a cabin boy aged 15, and within two years he had saved up enough money to sail to America, where he would establish his fortune.

The tea and grocery empire he subsequently built generated wealth equivalent to billions in contemporary terms.

Sir Thomas heavy invested into his quest to win the America's Cup, though victory eluded him across five attempts.

Nevertheless, he received the trophy bearing his name in 1930, and was posthumously inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 1993.

Following his death in 1931, his trustees presented the cup to Glasgow's citizens the following year.

Jane Rowlands, head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, described the incident as a "disgraceful theft" that would provoke strong emotions across the city.

"This is not only a loss for the museum, but a theft from the people of Glasgow, whose shared heritage our collections represent," she said.

Ms Rowlands confirmed that security protocols across all Glasgow museums are being reviewed, while the trophy has been registered with the Art Loss Register, the world's largest private database of stolen artwork, to alert auction houses globally.

Detective Sergeant Bob Carrigan of Police Scotland's Community Investigation Unit confirmed the break-in occurred between 5pm on October 22 and 10am the following morning.

He urged anyone with relevant information to come forward saying: "It may help us piece together what happened and find the trophy."