The Dutch prosecutor’s office confirms the finding of the hoard. The Dutch government had already paid 5.7 million euros in compensation
The golden helmet from Coțofenești and the three Dacian bracelets stolen in January last year from a museum in the Netherlands have been recovered. The information was published by the Dutch station RTV Drenthe, citing sources from the investigation, and was confirmed by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for HotNews. The Dutch prosecutor’s office is to hold a press conference today, at 15:00 (Romanian time), at the Drents Museum in Assen, to present the details of the operation.
How the robbery took place
On the morning of January 25, 2025, three men broke into the Drents Museum in Assen in just three minutes. They broke down an exterior door using an explosive device, smashed two storefronts with a sledgehammer, and made off with the treasure. When the police arrived 15 minutes later, the thieves were long gone. The pieces were part of a temporary exhibition dedicated to the Dacian civilization.
Three suspects detained
Three men were detained in the investigation: Douglas Chesley W., 36, Bernhard Z., 35, and Jan B., 20. They are suspected of carrying out the robbery using explosive devices to break into the museum. All three have consistently denied involvement or refused to provide details about the whereabouts of the stolen parts.
The helmet could be damaged
According to Dutch media, the helmet has been found, but it may be damaged. The exact condition of the recovered parts is not yet known. The details will be presented by the Dutch public prosecutor’s office at today’s press conference. The Dutch government had meanwhile paid the full compensation of 5.7 million euros for the stolen treasure.
Why these pieces matter
The golden helmet from Coțofenești was discovered in 1929, in the town of Coțofenești in Prahova county. It is made of solid gold, decorated with motifs specific to the Geto-Dacian culture, and dates from the 5th-4th centuries BC. The three Dacian gold bracelets come from Sarmizegetusa Regia and date from the second half of the 1st century BC. All are part of the collection of the National History Museum of Romania and are considered among the most valuable pieces of the Romanian archaeological heritage.
Retrieving the hoard ends a year of waiting and frustration. It remains to be seen what condition the pieces are in and when they will be brought back to Romania.
The Romanian state sent the treasure abroad without being able to protect it and appraised it without knowing its value. 5.7 million euros for a helmet unique in the world, two and a half millennia old. That’s all the Romanian state apparatus could negotiate. It’s not the Assen thieves that are the biggest problem. At least they knew what they were stealing.
Click to rate this post!
