Pensioner arrested as police hunt for famous Lipton Cup worth £500k stolen from Glasgow museum

Police Scotland have arrested and released without charge a 71-year-old man in connection with the theft of the Lipton Cup from Glasgow’s Riverside Museum. The trophy remains missing, and the investigation continues more than a year after it was taken.

The cup, valued at £500,000, disappeared from its display between 22 and 23 October 2025; the museum’s operator confirmed it was missing in April, saying the delay followed police advice. Made by Tiffany & Co., the 18-carat gold trophy was presented to tea entrepreneur Sir Thomas Lipton in 1930 after his fifth unsuccessful America’s Cup challenge, then given to Glasgow in 1932.