Suspected thieves of precious Romanian artifacts from the Drents museum will continue their imprisonment
The Dutch Public Prosecutor's Office is currently investigating the theft of three gold bracelets and the golden helmet from Coțofenești, part of an exhibition of Romanian treasures, from the Drents Museum in Assen. The theft occurred on the night of January 24 to 25, 2025.
During the second preliminary hearing at the Assen court, two of the three main suspects, Douglas Chesley W. and Jan B., were present. The third suspect, Bernhard Z., was not present.
In a surprising turn of events, Chesley W. had an outburst of anger against co-defendant Jan B., allegedly accusing him of being involved in the theft. However, Jan B. did not seem affected and did not feel threatened by Chesley W.'s outburst.
The prosecution is convinced that the suspects were in the museum at the time of the theft. Dutch forensic experts found tiny gold particles in the sports bag used by the suspects, indicating that the stolen treasures were placed in that bag. Moreover, Jan B.'s DNA was found on a crowbar found in the exhibition hall of the Drents Museum.
The Dutch state is currently holding the three main suspects in pre-trial detention, and if the objects are not found, it will have to compensate the Romanian state.
The prosecution hopes to be able to examine the merits of the case in the second quarter of 2026. The next hearing will take place in October, where it will decide whether four additional suspects - two men aged 35 and 36 from Heerhugowaard, a 40-year-old woman also from Heerhugowaard, and a 26-year-old man from Drenthe - will also be prosecuted.
The golden helmet was the centerpiece of an exhibition on Dacian civilization and one of Romania's most important artistic treasures. Its theft has not only caused a significant loss to the Romanian cultural heritage but also sparked international concern. The treasures were insured for EUR 5.7 million.
Despite the ongoing investigation, the stolen treasures have not been found yet. The Dutch Public Prosecutor's Office believes that the main suspects failed to sell the treasures on the black market and are keeping them hidden. The prosecution is hopeful that with the addition of the four new suspects, they will be able to uncover more information and recover the stolen Romanian heritage objects.
In the Dutch court hearings, discussions about the Romanian treasure theft have included debates on politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice, given the significance of the gold bracelets, golden helmet, and their insurance value of EUR 5.7 million. The prosecution's conviction that the suspects were at the museum during the theft and the presence of gold particles and DNA evidence have kept the case alive, with the hope that new suspects might provide further leads to the recovery of the missing treasures.
