GENESEO, NY — The Village of Geneseo Police Department is investigating a theft of items from the Livingston County Museum at 30 Center Street, reported two weeks ago.

Police Chief Eric Osganian confirmed that 1812 style military epaulettes (decorative fringe shoulder pieces) possibly worn by General William Wadsworth, are among what is missing. The remaining items are coins, specifically, a copper coin and an English coin of questionable origins; large cents dated 1803, 1807, 1812, 1820, 1825, 1827 (with the etched name ‘Dubois’ on both sides) and 1850, an 1864 Indian head cent, an 1820 Irish coin, and a 1787 Connecticut coin,

The epaulettes are valued at $500. The total loss including coins is estimated to be $1,100.

Unless the items later show up at a pawn shop or antique dealer, police have little to go by for their investigation.

“We’re hoping we get lucky and some of this does resurface,” Osganian said.

Nearly 30 persons have museum access through an electronic security system which cannot track the time and identity of individual persons making entry. Furthermore, the museum hosts a fair number of visitors, any one of whom may have had ‘light fingers.’

“Some of the stuff was out, not protected under lock and key,” Osganian reports.

Osganian suggests that the theft has served as a wake up call for the Historical Society, to improve inventory records and upgrade the security system.

The museum does have an alarm system which is triggered when the door is ajar, but there has never to date been any actual break-in attempts.