Thieves used explosives to interrupt right into a museum within the Netherlands and steal a number of Romanian prehistoric artefacts, together with a 2,500-year-old gold helmet.
They blasted open a door on the Drents Museum within the northeastern metropolis of Assen and made off with the strong gold Geto-Dacian artefacts early on Saturday morning.
The stolen objects embody the golden helmet of Cotofanesti, which dates from round 450 BCE, and three Dacian royal bracelets dated to 50 BCE. They have been a part of an exhibition concerning the Dacian empire, which was located in present-day Romania.
The objects have been on mortgage to the museum and belong to the Nationwide Historical past Museum within the Romanian capital Bucharest.
“It is a darkish day for the Drents Museum in Assen and the Nationwide Historical past Museum of Romania in Bucharest,” Drents Museum basic director Harry Tupan stated.
“In its 170-year existence, there has by no means been such a serious incident.”
Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis stated Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof had assured him the authorities have been taking “all essential measures to determine the suspects and get well the artefacts”.
The stolen Dacian bracelets have been amongst round a dozen recovered by authorities after they have been initially looted from the ruins of Dacian fortresses in Romania and offered off on the black market within the Nineteen Nineties.
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Nobody was injured within the explosion on the museum, which broken the constructing, and no arrests have been made.
Police imagine a number of individuals dedicated the theft and so they have determined to contain Interpol of their investigation.
Officers discovered a burning automotive close to Assen and advised the suspects switched to a different car.
They’ve appealed for anybody with info on the suspects or the stolen artefacts to come back ahead.
