Precious treasures stolen from museum

GOSHEN — Hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of treasures have been stolen from Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, according to Janet Terhune, the museum's director.

She said the museum was burglarized sometime overnight between Monday, Dec. 17, and Tuesday, Dec. 18. Thieves targeted the display case containing a sterling silver Faberge soup tureen and ladle, the Memphis Gold Challenge Cup, the gold Weaver Loving Cup, and a Tiffany basket-shaped bowl inscribed "Worthy Chief."

There is a $10,000 reward for information leading to the return of the Faberge tureen and the Memphis Gold Challenge Cup.

Also stolen were ten trophies constructed between 1895 and 1946 that have been in the museum’s collection since soon after it opened in 1951.

“The Goshen Police are working with multiple agencies and we are hopeful their efforts may lead to the recovery of some of these items,” said Terhune in a statement. “We ask the equine community and our neighbors in Orange County to be vigilant and report any pertinent information to the Goshen Police at 845-294-7988. The trophies are clearly inscribed and the Faberge trophy is inscribed in Cyrillic.”

Terhune told The Chronicle Wednesday that the value of the items stolen was still being determined. She said she could not provide more information while the case was under investigation.

Aside from the items specified above, also stolen were:

Gold loving cup inscribed to "T. Murphy"

Two-handled cup inscribed "Purity Ice Cream"

Loving cup inscribed "Western Harness Racing Association"

Silver oval platter inscribed "American Trotting Championship"

Three-handled bowl inscribed "Frederick"

Platter inscribed "Ladyship Stakes"

Two-handled loving cup inscribed "Opera Express"

Two silver chalices with gold interior inscribed "Reynolds Memorial and one Cane Memorial"