Thieves raid Dutch museum and steal ancient gold treasures
- Thieves used explosives to break into the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands, early Saturday morning.
- The stolen items include a gold Coșofenești helmet and three Dacian royal bracelets, central to an exhibit about the ancient Dacian empire.
- Museum officials described the day as dark, marking a historic and shocking event for both the Drents Museum and the National History Museum of Romania.
In a daring early morning burglary, thieves stole valuable gold artifacts from the Drents Museum located in Assen, Netherlands. This incident occurred on Saturday, January 25, 2025, when police received alerts about an explosion at the museum around 3:45 a.m. Upon arriving at the scene, the police discovered that the museum was severely damaged and the ancient treasures, which were central to an exhibition on the Dacian Empire, were missing. The stolen items included a highly prized golden helmet and three royal bracelets, reportedly of great significance to both the museum and the National History Museum of Romania. The act was executed using explosives, suggesting that the robbers had prepared meticulously for the break-in. Harry Tupan, the director of the Drents Museum, expressed profound shock and horror at the event, stating it marked a grim day for both his institution and its Romanian counterparts. He emphasized the rarity of such incidents in the museum’s 170-year history, underscoring the gravity of the situation. The exhibition titled "Dacia - Empire of Gold and Silver" showcased these artifacts, highlighting their cultural and historical importance. Following the heist, local police began investigating the connections between the explosion and a separate report of a car fire that occurred around 4:15 a.m. investigators suspect that the abandoned car may have been used by the burglars as a getaway vehicle. They believe multiple individuals were involved in this intricate theft, demonstrating a level of sophistication that suggests prior knowledge of the museum’s display and security protocols. The police also solicited assistance from nearby residents for any relevant footage captured via doorbell cameras or dashcams during the time frame of the incident. Efforts to locate the perpetrators are ongoing as authorities are keen to retrieve the stolen artifacts and hold the criminals accountable. The museum has been closed temporarily to facilitate the investigation, while experts from various agencies analyze all gathered evidence to determine how the burglars succeeded in bypassing security systems. With no arrests made so far, the unfolding developments underscore a concerning trend of museum thefts across Europe, particularly involving priceless historical artifacts.