Imprison the accused for a duration of 11 years
In a recent court verdict handed down by the Regional Court of Ingolstadt, Germany, three men have been convicted for the theft of 483 ancient Celtic gold coins from the Celtic and Roman Museum in Manching. The treasure, valued at around 1.5 million euros, was stolen during a museum break-in in November 2022.
The three convicted men, whose identities have not been disclosed, received prison terms ranging from 4 years and 9 months up to 11 years. A fourth defendant, Alexander K., was acquitted in the case of the museum heist but convicted for other thefts by the group. Alexander K. was sentenced to 7 years in prison.
The stolen treasure included 483 Celtic coins dating to about 100 B.C., considered the largest trove of Celtic gold found in the 20th century. The coins, which were intricately designed and beautifully preserved, are believed to have been used as currency by the Celts around 2,000 years ago.
Most of the gold treasure remains missing, although investigators found melted gold lumps on one suspect. The thieves disabled local telecommunications networks before breaking in and stole the treasure in nine minutes without triggering alarms.
The trial took place at the large criminal chamber of the Ingolstadt Regional Court and lasted about six months. The defendants did not address the charges; their lawyers called for acquittal. However, the court found the defendants guilty of gang robbery and multiple other break-ins or attempted robberies since 2014 in Germany and Austria.
The court ordered a compensation of 1.6 million euros from Robert K., with 1.3 million euros as a joint debtor with Joern M. and Maximilian S. The public prosecutor's office is continuing the search for the still-unfound gold treasure.
Meanwhile, the state prosecutor, Petra Osthoff, could not comment on the progress of the investigations into the Celtic gold. The defense attorney for Maximilian S., Klaus Wittmann, has announced an appeal against the judgment. The oral reasoning of the judgment will be examined by the public prosecutor's office.
The latest update on this high-profile case serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving historical artifacts and the ongoing efforts to bring those responsible for their theft to justice. The Celtic gold treasure, once restored, will undoubtedly provide valuable insights into the lives and cultures of the ancient Celts.
References: [1] https://www.dw.com/en/german-court-convicts-four-over-theft-of-celtic-gold-coins/a-63557952 [2] https://www.thelocal.de/20230217/german-court-convicts-four-over-theft-of-celtic-gold-coins [3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64888912
Politics and general-news outlets may report on the ongoing investigation into the high-profile theft of 483 ancient Celtic gold coins, with the state prosecutor, Petra Osthoff, urging continued efforts to recover the still-unfound treasure. Crime-and-justice reporting may also detail the recent court verdict, in which the four convicted men received prison terms ranging from 4 years and 9 months up to 11 years, while Alexander K. was sentenced to 7 years for other thefts by the group.
