Thieves Strike Dutch Museum with Explosives, Stealing Priceless Gold Artefacts

In a shocking incident, thieves utilized explosives to raid the Drents Museum and make off with culturally significant Romanian jewellery.

Four ancient gold artefacts were brazenly stolen in the early hours of Saturday after thieves employed explosives to break into the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands. The museum was showcasing invaluable Romanian jewellery, including three ornate Dacian spiral bracelets and the centerpiece of the exhibit, the stunning Helmet of Cotofenesti, a treasure dating back nearly 2,500 years.

Romania's Ministry of Culture has vowed to take all necessary measures to recover the lost pieces, which were temporarily loaned to the Dutch institution from Bucharest. Drents Museum director Harry Tupan expressed that the museum staff are "intensely shocked," noting that this theft marks the most significant incident in the museum's 170-year history.

According to local police, the alarm was raised shortly after the incident, around 03:45 local time (04:45 GMT), following reports of an explosion. Forensic teams and investigators immediately examined the site and reviewed security footage throughout the day. They are also looking into a burning vehicle found on a nearby road, which they suspect may be associated with the crime. "A plausible scenario could involve the suspects abandoning their vehicle for another in the vicinity of the fire," stated a Dutch police release.

As of this moment, no arrests have been made, but law enforcement believes that multiple thieves may have been involved. Dutch authorities have reached out to Interpol for assistance in the ongoing investigation. The stolen items have significant cultural importance to Romania, with the Helmet of Cotofenesti regarded as a national treasure. This incident is reminiscent of previous occurrences in the late 1990s when treasure hunters illicitly sold 24 similar bracelets abroad, sparking long years of reclamation efforts by the Romanian state.