Rare Dacian treasures stolen in explosive museum heist
The Drents Museum in Assen has been the victim of a spectacular theft. Thieves used explosives to steal priceless artefacts, including a 2,500-year-old Dacian golden helmet and three gold bracelets. The investigation, conducted with the involvement of Interpol, is gaining momentum, reports biznes.interia.pl.
The Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands, was the target of a daring break-in. On Saturday, January 25, at 2:45 AM Greenwich Time, an explosion allowed the thieves to overcome security and enter the building. The robbers used explosives to open the outer doors and gain entry to the museum. Their haul included three gold bracelets from around 50 BC and a unique 2,500-year-old golden helmet from Coțofenești.
The Coțofenești golden helmet is one of the most significant archaeological finds related to the Dacians - an ancient people who lived in the area of today's Romania. The artefact, discovered over 100 years ago in a Romanian village, is distinguished by its rich decorations with mythological motifs, it reads.
It was part of the exhibition "Dacia: The Empire of Gold and Silver," which gathered priceless exhibits loaned from Romanian museums, including the National Museum of Romanian History in Bucharest.
International investigation
The Dutch police, supported by Interpol, are intensively searching for the stolen treasures. Since Sunday, more than 50 leads regarding the possible location of the artefacts have been checked. A key clue is a grey car stolen a few days before the robbery, which the thieves abandoned and set on fire about 6 kilometres from the museum. Officers suspect that the robbers continued their escape using another vehicle.
The director of the Drents Museum, Harry Tupan, in an emotional statement, called Saturday a "black day" for both his institution and the National Museum of Romanian History. He emphasised that in the 170-year history of the museum, such an incident has never occurred before, reports biznes.interia.pl.
