British Museum director Hartwig Fischer resigns after suspected thefts

Fischer to step down after blunders prompt international embarrassment and questions about systemic failures

• Artefacts stolen from British Museum may be untraceable'

The head of the British Museum has resigned and his deputy has stepped back over its handling of the suspected widespread theft of artefacts following a string of blunders that have prompted international embarrassment and questions about systemic failures.

Hartwig Fischer said he accepted responsibility for the museum's failure to properly respond to warnings about suspected thefts of thousands of objects in 2021.