The FBI, in collaboration with the Department of Justice and the Upper Merion Township Police Department (UMTPD), successfully recovered stolen Revolutionary War-era U.S. firearms that were part of a series of thefts in the 1960s and 1970s in and around Valley Forge Park. These items were returned during a ceremony at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. The stolen firearms were among a larger collection of items looted during these robberies, with little evidence of the perpetrators previously uncovered.
Special Agent Jake Archer of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, who worked on the case for FBI Philadelphia, stated, “We were all committed to seeing justice—not just bringing the objects back home, but seeking a proper prosecution of those who perpetrated these crimes.”
Since the investigation began in 2009, three individuals—Michael Corbett, Scott Corbett, and Thomas Gavin—have admitted to taking items from Valley Forge Park and the Valley Forge Historical Society. They have assisted investigators in locating stolen items, but the whereabouts of 10 additional items remain unknown. FBI Philadelphia and its partners are seeking the public’s help in tracking down these missing artifacts.
The recovery effort began when a senior citizen reported spotting a stolen gun at an antique show, leading UMTPD Detectives Andy Rathfon and Brendan Dougherty to uncover the thefts at Valley Forge Park. Working with Dr. Scott Stephenson, president and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution, the detectives compiled a list of stolen items and interviewed individuals across multiple states to gather information.
The case took a significant turn when Scott Corbett revealed that his brother, Michael Corbett, had stolen multiple firearms from museums across the country, including Valley Forge Park and the U.S. Army War College Museum in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Although Michael Corbett was indicted and pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property, investigators are still searching for items he and Thomas Gavin stole, including a rifle owned by naturalist John James Audubon.
The recovery of these artifacts is crucial as the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution approaches. James Taub, an associate curator at the museum, emphasized the impact of the partnership between local police and the FBI in recovering these items, stating, “the teamwork and partnership have given us in Philadelphia and the historical community at large a really strong opportunity to reach people in ways that we haven’t before, through objects that people of my generation haven’t seen and that previous generations might not have seen since before the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution.”
The Museum of the American Revolution continues to seek the return of these stolen items and encourages anyone with information to come forward. Special Agent Archer warned that the FBI is prepared to investigate anyone who knowingly holds onto looted artifacts, emphasizing the importance of doing the right thing.
