Thieves Blast Open Dutch Museum Entrance and Steal Gold Pieces
Three ancient Dacian bracelets and a gold helmet from 450 BCE were among the artifacts taken from the Drents Museum.
Dutch investigators and international police are searching for four gold pieces of jewelry stolen in a heist at the Drents Museum in Assen on Saturday, January 25.
Authorities received reports of an explosion at the museum at 3:45am on Saturday, according to a police report. Upon arrival, they determined that a door had been forcibly opened with explosives, which caused damage to the building. No injuries were reported. The museum is closed until further notice.
The stolen pieces — three Dacian royal bracelets from 50 BCE and a golden headpiece from 450 BCE known as the Helmet of Cotofenesti, all on loan from the National History Museum of Romania — were part of the visiting archaeology exhibition Dacia - Empire of Gold and Silver.
The objects were just a few of more than 500 gold and silver objects from at least 15 different museums across Romania on display in the show, which explores the ancient Dacian civilization that inhabited parts of the region during the 2nd century BCE. The helmet, which was used as a showpiece and is adorned with symbols from Getic mythology, was initially discovered by children in 1927. The three stolen bracelets come from a series of 24 pieces that have only been found in the ancient Dacian capital Sarmizegetusa Regia. Used as religious offerings, they come from sacrificial pits and are uniquely decorated with wolf fur and scales.
“Thieves who target displays of artifacts made from precious metal are after the precious metal, not the artifacts,” Erin L. Thompson, a professor of art crime at John Jay College and Hyperallergic contributor, said in an email.
“Sadly, I have little doubt that these pieces have already been melted down,” Thomspon added.
Police suspect that multiple individuals were involved in the theft. While no arrests have been made, investigators received a report of a car fire at 4:15am that they suspect may be linked to the burglary.
The international police organization Interpol is involved in the investigation. Authorities have asked residents near the museum or the car fire to provide any information that may be linked to the case, including possible doorbell or security camera footage from the evening.
Hyperallergic has reached out to the Drents Museum, the National History Museum of Romania, and authorities for comment.
"This is a dark day for the Drents Museum in Assen and the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest," Harry Tupan, the museum's general director, said in a statement.
"We are intensely shocked by the events last night at the museum," Tupan continued, adding that the museum has never had such a major theft in its 170-year history and expressing "enormous sadness" for their colleagues in Romania.
