Imprisonment of up to 11 years for theft of Keltengold (gold coins)
Major Museum Heist: Four Convicted for Stealing Ancient Celtic Gold Coins
In a significant turn of events, four men from Eastern Germany have been convicted for the 2022 robbery of the Manching Celtic Roman Museum in Upper Bavaria. The theft, one of the most significant museum robberies in recent years in Germany, resulted in the loss of 483 ancient Celtic gold coins dating back to around 100 B.C.
The court's verdict, delivered after a trial that lasted more than 30 days and involved around 120 witnesses and experts, saw the main suspect, a 48-year-old from Plate near Schwerin, sentenced to eleven years in prison for leading the gang and distributing the Manching loot. The sentences for the other three men ranged from 4 years and 9 months to 8 years.
The break-in at the museum occurred on the night of November 22, 2022. The thieves disabled telecommunications to avoid alarms and executed the heist in under ten minutes. Most of the stolen treasure remains missing, but during the arrest of one suspect, authorities found lumps of gold that appear to be melted down parts of the stolen hoard. This suggests that some of the treasure was partially destroyed to conceal or sell it.
The court valued the material worth of the approximately 3.7 kilogram gold treasure at significantly more than one million euros, but scientists emphasize that the approximately 2,100-year-old collection is irreplaceable. A 44-year-old man from Schwerin was acquitted of the museum break-in charge but found guilty of other break-ins.
The trial involved around 20 break-ins or attempted break-ins across Germany and Austria. The Bavarian State Criminal Office arrested the quartet about two years ago. The gang had been active since at least 2014. A 45-year-old from Berlin was sentenced to eight years for possessing 72 melted coins from the Manching treasure at the time of his arrest. Two Schwerin residents, aged 44 and 52, were sentenced to seven years and four years and nine months, respectively.
If an appeal is filed, the Federal Court of Justice would have to reconsider the case. The defense lawyers of all four defendants have announced that they will file an appeal. If successful, the whereabouts of the remaining 411 coins and a 217-gram ingot from the Manching treasure may yet be revealed. The search continues for the remainder of this ancient and valuable hoard.
[1] Source: News Article 1 [2] Source: News Article 2 [3] Source: News Article 3
The major museum heist, involving the theft of ancient Celtic gold coins, has connections to both general-news and crime-and-justice. The four convictions, following the robbery at the Manching Celtic Roman Museum, were reported in various news articles (News Article 1, News Article 2, News Article 3).
The verdict, including sentences ranging from 4 years and 9 months to 11 years, underlines the seriousness of this crime and its impact on politics, as the theft of such valuable cultural artifacts can have wider societal implications.
){kind=link}