The Egyptian Ministry of Home Affairs announced on Thursday that a bracelet belonging to an ancient Pharaoh, aged 3,000 years, was stolen and subsequently melted down for money. Four suspects have been apprehended in connection with the incident.

The Ministry of Tourism disclosed on Tuesday that the bracelet, a significant artifact tied to the third mid-term king, Amenemope, had been undergoing repairs when it went missing from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. An investigation revealed that a museum restoration specialist had photographed the bracelet and shared it on BBC News on September 9. The specialist, a woman, reportedly worked with the owner of a silver shop, selling the bracelet to a gold workshop owner in Cairo for approximately $3,735.

The gold workshop owner is alleged to have sold the piece to workers at a melting facility for about $4,025. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the bracelet was melted down with other jewelry items.

Law enforcement has reportedly secured confessions from the four individuals involved and has seized the money related to the sale, as noted by BBC News.

The Ministry of Tourism further stated that a special committee has been established to ensure the safety of other artifacts. The photograph of the bracelet has been distributed to various law enforcement units at land intersections, airports, and ports throughout Egypt.

The bracelet was intended to be included in an exhibition titled “Treasures of the Pharaohs,” scheduled for October at a museum in Rome. This artifact is a part of a collection set to travel to Italy, as previously reported.

Amenemope ruled during Egypt’s 21st dynasty, from 993 to 984 BC. His burial site remains one of the three unharmed burials from ancient times. French Egyptologists Pierre Monet and Georges Goyon documented the site in 1940, but excavation efforts were delayed due to World War II.