• A set of 14 gold belt plaques.

• A Jizhou stoneware vase.

The police have not put a price on the haul, saying that the items vary in monetary value but that their “cultural significance is priceless.”

Image A carving of jade mandarin ducks with lotus flowers was among the items stolen. Credit... Museum of East Asian Art

The police said the thieves fled in a dark sport utility vehicle. Officers have seized a white Ford van that was stolen and left at the scene. The police have appealed to the public for information to solve the crime, and are scouring CCTV footage for clues.

Detective Sgt. Matthew Reed said in a statement, “Due to the items stolen and the speed of the burglary, we suspect this to be a targeted attack with the artifacts possibly stolen to order.”

Nicole Chiang, the museum’s curator, said in a statement: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the burglary as we are preparing for our 25th anniversary celebrations. Not only do the stolen objects have significant historical and cultural value, they also hold irreplaceable emotional value for our founder.”

The museum was founded by Brian McElney, a former lawyer who lived in Hong Kong for many years, and whose own collection of East Asian art formed the initial basis of its holdings.