A heist like an action movie: Perfect action, explosives and ancient golden treasure

A robbery of extremely rare ancient gold jewellery took place in Assen, the Netherlands, on Saturday morning. The target of the elaborate theft was the Drent Museum. The thieves used explosives to get inside. Three unique royal bracelets from the Dacian Empire and a 2,500-year-old famous helmet from Cotofenesti were stolen from the museum in a flash. They disappeared before police arrived.

Police were called at around 3:45 local time when nearby residents heard an explosion and saw the suspects fleeing the scene. No one was injured in the blast. Dutch police conducted forensic investigations throughout the day and searched security camera footage to determine which way the perpetrators had come, how they had moved and the escape route. Museum director Harry Tupan said it was the biggest incident in the institution's 100-year history.

A van was discovered on fire near the museum and reported at 04:15. Investigators believe it may have been used as a getaway vehicle, which the perpetrators later destroyed to cover their tracks. Police have also contacted the international organisation Interpol and issued a description of the stolen items to all security forces involved in the illegal trade in stolen artworks.

The most valuable artefact of the stolen quartet is a golden Helmet of Cotofenesti, weighing almost a kilogram, which dates back to the 5th century BC. The unique artefact is decorated with detailed depictions of mythical creatures and motifs that make it one of the one of the rarest examples of the craftsmanship of the ancient Thracian and Dacian tribes.

Along with the helmet, three royal bracelets from the Dacia Empire, whose value is also estimated by historians to be astronomical, have also disappeared. All four exhibits represent an invaluable source of knowledge for archaeologists and historians who specialize in ancient civilizations in the area of present-day Romania.

The Romanian Ministry of Culture has already expressed deep concern and promised maximum cooperation to help track down the valuable objects. The rare exhibits have only been temporarily loaned from Bucharest. They were to be part of a spectacular exhibition to showcase Romania's archaeological heritage to a wider European audience. Romania considers the Helmet of Cotofenesti a national treasure and one of the most valuable symbols of its history.

Some experts say it is likely that the thieves will not offer the objects for sale. It's too risky for them and for potential buyers. Rather, they were stolen on commission and could become part of secret, illegal collections that the public will never get to see. The black market in valuable archaeological finds is driven by the demand of art lovers who are not averseto pay astronomical sums for rare historical artefacts without bothering to investigate their provenance.

The incident is reminiscent of events in the late 1990s, when a group of treasure hunters in Romania illegally unearthed 24 gold bracelets from a similar period and smuggled them abroad. At the time, the Romanian government had been suing various owners in Austria, Germany, France, the UK and the United States for years. Gradually, thanks to cooperation with international institutions, a large part of the stolen treasures was returned to Romania.

It is still unclear how many of the perpetrators were involved in the operation and what their backgrounds were. However, their courage and careful organisation suggest that this may not have been an isolated operation, but a criminal group with extensive contacts and experience.

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Sources: bbc.com, washingtonpost.com, agerpres.ro, drentsmuseum.nl, politie.nl

one of the gold royal bracelets

Helmet of Coțofenești

Mythological scene on the helmet

on the left the original state, on the right a graphic reconstruction of the original appearance