FLASH NEWS
A museum in the Netherlands is robbed, a 2,500-year-old golden helmet that protects against the "evil eye" is stolen
2025-01-27 21:00:24 / BOTA
A group of thieves carried out a spectacular robbery at the Drents Museum in Assen, the Netherlands, using explosives to break in and steal four ancient artifacts, including the Cotofenesti Helmet, a rare historical object estimated to be around 2,500 years old. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday.
Security camera footage shows the moment the thieves opened an exterior front door by blasting it open.
Footage of the heist where a group of men broke into a Dutch museum using explosives and stole part of Romania's Dacian Treasure, which includes pieces as old as 2,500 years
The Dacian Treasure which was lent for an exhibition, is of irreplaceable value to the Romanian nation pic.twitter.com/eWXHKXd6DG
— Daily Romania (@daily_romania) January 26, 2025
The robbers took three gold bracelets from the first century BC and the Cotofenesti Helmet, a precious artifact on loan from the National Museum of History of Romania in Bucharest.
The artifacts were part of the exhibition “Dacia: The Golden and Silver Empire,” which featured notable treasures from the Dacians, an ancient society that once lived in what is now Romania during the time of the Illyrians. The exhibition, which began in July, was scheduled to end on Sunday.
The helmet, discovered about a century ago in a Romanian village, was considered a "masterpiece" by the museum and was decorated with mythological scenes and eyes designed to protect the wearer from the "evil eye".
Dutch police said they are working with Interpol to investigate the case and have received more than 50 tips as of Sunday. They are investigating a gray car that was stolen a few days ago in Alkmaar and found burned near the crime scene. It is believed the perpetrators used another car to get away.
The director of the Drents Museum, Harry Tupan, called the event a “dark day” for the institution and for the National Museum of Romania. He expressed deep sadness and shock at the loss of priceless objects.
For its part, the Romanian Ministry of Culture promised to take all possible measures to recover the stolen objects.
All four stolen objects have great cultural significance for Romania, with the Cotofenesti helmet considered a national treasure.
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