On Wednesday afternoon, the Drents Museum in Assen, the Netherlands, announced the arrest of three suspects in North Holland after the theft of four gold artifacts that were on loan from the National History Museum of Romania.
The four items included three gold bracelets from 50 BCE and a Coțofenești helmet from 450 BCE. The objects were stolen from the Drents Museum’s exhibit “Dacia – Empire of Gold and Silver” during in the middle of the night on January 24.
Dutch police received a report of an explosion at approximately 3:45 a.m. When the officers arrived at the museum, “it became clear that burglars had gained access to the building by forcing a door with explosives.”
RTV Drenthe reported that it had translated documents showing the value of the stolen helmet was €4.3 million and that the three stolen bracelets each had an estimated value of €500,000.
Dutch police released images of one of the suspects on January 29. The Drents Museum was also closed until January 30, citing the ongoing investigation, restoration work, and preparations for its new exhibition.
According to a report by Euronews, the theft prompted the National History of Museum of Romania to declare that it would take legal action due to the lack of physical security at the time of the art theft. During a press conference on January 25, Drents Museum general director Harry Tupan said no guards were physically present.
The theft also prompted a statement from Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, according to Artdependence Magazine. “Like all Romanians, I am outraged that objects from the Romanian Treasures collection were stolen from a Dutch museum that had no guards,” the Prime Minister said, referring to the government-owned art collection. “I strongly believe we cannot accept this.”
Ciolacu said he was in touch with Dutch authorities about the theft, emphasized the importance of returning the items to Romania, and expressed frustration they had left the country in the first place without better protection.
“Such valuable objects cannot simply leave the country at the whim of a museum or a minister,” Ciolacu said.
