In a brazen overnight robbery, thieves used explosives to breach the Drents Museum in the Netherlands’s Assen, making off with four valuable ancient artifacts, including a 2,500-year-old gold helmet, CNN reports.
The heist, which took place in the early hours of Saturday morning, has sent shockwaves through the art and history community.
Dutch police reported receiving notification of an explosion at the museum at approximately 3:45 a.m. local time. CCTV footage released by authorities shows the suspects forcing open an exterior door before detonating an explosive device, sending sparks and smoke billowing into the air.
The thieves then proceeded to steal three gold bracelets dating back to around 50 BC, along with the highly significant Helmet of Cotofenesti, a 5th-century BC artifact on loan from the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest.
These items were part of the “Dacia: Empire of Gold and Silver” exhibition, which showcased treasures from the Dacians, an ancient society that occupied much of present-day Romania before being conquered by the Romans. The exhibition, open since July, featured valuable artifacts borrowed from museums across Romania.
The Helmet of Cotofenesti, described by the Drents Museum as a “masterpiece,” is of immense historical importance. Discovered in a Romanian village almost a century ago, its unique design incorporates mythological scenes and a pair of eyes situated above the wearer’s brow, believed to ward off enemies and protect against the “evil eye.”
The exhibition was slated to conclude on Sunday, but the museum has been closed for the weekend due to the robbery. The explosion caused damage to the building, though fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Dutch police are collaborating with Interpol in the investigation and have received over 50 tips as of Sunday. Investigators are focusing on a gray car stolen earlier in the week from the nearby city of Alkmaar. This vehicle was found on fire approximately four miles from the museum shortly after the heist. Police suspect the thieves abandoned this car, which was fitted with stolen license plates, and escaped in a different vehicle.
Harry Tupan, general director of the Drents Museum, described the incident as a “dark day” for both his institution and the National History Museum of Romania.
