OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA—California State Parks Rangers recovered thousands of artifacts thought to have been taken from public lands illegally over the past several decades. The suspect had been seen removing artifacts from the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, and the rangers, assisted by the Butte County District Attorney’s Office, continued the investigation and obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s residence. “The recovery of these items is critical to the preservation of the cultural resources of our state, which helps us better understand our past and our history,” Leslie Steidl, California State Parks Archaeologist, told the Sierra Sun Times. To read about the recovery of artifacts looted from the archaeological museum in Baghdad, read "National Museum: 10 Years Later."