Australian Museum: Alleged Sydney CBD trespasser granted bail over night at the museum

A Sydney magistrate has ordered a curfew on a man allegedly captured on CCTV breaking into a museum and taking selfies with dinosaurs before leaving with an artwork and cowboy hat. SEE THE VIDEO.

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A young man has been granted bail after allegedly sneaking into a Sydney museum and snapping selfies with dinosaurs – before stealing a framed photograph and an Akubra hat.

German national Paul Kuhn, 25, appeared in Central Local Court on Mondau after being charged with breaking and entering over the incident at the heritage-listed Australian Museum on May 10.

CCTV shows a man walking through a dinosaur exhibit at the Australian Museum.

He’s seen speaking on his mobile wearing a cowboy hat.

Paul Kuhn leaves police headquarters in Sydney. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Kuhn must abide by a court-ordered curfew. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Police allege Kuhn, who is on a student visa and has been in Australia for two years, climbed scaffolding to enter the prestigious Darlinghurst building through a window just after midnight before walking through multiple levels, trying to get into rooms and looking through storage spaces.

CCTV footage of the incident, which has been compared to the Ben Stiller movie Night At The Museum, appears to show Kuhn casually strolling through the country’s oldest museum, stopping at exhibits with dinosaur bones and taking photographs.

At one point, the man on CCTV leans down at a big dinosaur skull and puts his head in its mouth before snapping a selfie on his phone.

Strolling near the dinosaur bones.

Before he left, police allege in court documents Kuhn stole a framed photograph and an employee’s Akubra hat, which he wore out of the museum.

Police appealed for information and released the CCTV vision before Kuhn, who lives in Ultimo, handed himself into Surry Hills police station on Sunday night a week after the incident.

In court, police prosecutors said the case against Kuhn was strong because of the CCTV footage and the number of selfies that were taken.

And getting a selfie with a dinosaur, putting his head in its mouth.

But defence lawyer Steven Mercael pushed for his client to be released on bail, saying he had no criminal history and did not try to hide his face when taking the selfies.

Magistrate Robert Williams granted Kuhn bail but with strict conditions including a curfew at night.

He will return to court on June 1.