CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- An international artifact exhibit is opening soon in Uptown Charlotte, but a thief has already targeted the Dead Sea scrolls exhibit at Discovery Place.

The staff at Discovery Place said they never expected the theft. They said someone stole a tall, heavy and awkward Dead Sea scroll pot at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

Discovery Place staff said that when they built the display they did think anybody would steal from it.

Discovery Place officials said they don't know why someone would want the pot in the first place. They said the pots are replicas that were made at Troy University, not the real-life artifacts.

Leigh Goodwyn of Discovery Place said they are going to have to beef up security.

"Security has already been stepped up. We do have video surveillance now at the perimeters of the museum. Obviously, with this level of exhibition coming in, we are concerned about that. We didn't expect the problem this early on," said Goodwyn.

Investigators said the thief left behind shoe prints in the sand in front of the exhibit. They said they are also looking at surveillance video from in front of the museum.