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A 2,500-year-old Romanian golden helmet stolen from a Dutch museum in 2025 has been recovered, Dutch authorities confirmed on Thursday, bringing an end to one of the country’s most high-profile art theft cases in recent years.
Prosecutors unveiled the Helmet of Cotofenesti during a press conference in Assen under heavy police guard. Officials also confirmed that two of the three stolen gold bracelets have been recovered, while the search for the third continues.
Dutch police officer Corien Fahner said, “The Cotofenesti helmet and two Dacian gold bracelets have been returned, and we are delighted to be able to announce this.”
The artefacts, considered national treasures in Romania, were on loan to the Drents Museum when they were stolen.
The theft took place in January 2025, when a group of robbers used firework bombs to break into the Drents Museum in the northern Netherlands. The suspects smashed display cases and escaped with the helmet and three gold bracelets.
The incident quickly drew international attention and sparked strong reactions in Romania. Officials described the stolen items as priceless cultural objects, and public anger grew as the search continued.
Romanian cultural journalist Claudia Marcu described the emotional impact, saying the theft would be comparable to the loss of a major Dutch masterpiece. “People are devastated,” she said to AFP.
At the time, Drents Museum director Harry Tupan called it an unprecedented incident in the institution’s 170-year history.
Three men are currently on trial for the theft, but have largely remained silent in court.
Authorities and investigators worked for months to locate the stolen items. Under pressure from Romania, Dutch police pursued multiple strategies to recover the artefacts.
These efforts included offering to reduce a suspect’s sentence in exchange for information. An undercover officer also reportedly offered €400,000 for details about the location of the stolen items. Police separately announced a €100,000 reward linked to the case.
Art detective Arthur Brand, who confirmed the recovery earlier in the day, said, “It’s amazing. It’s the best news we could have got.”
Brand said investigators believed early on that the helmet had not been melted down. “We were pretty sure it had not been melted down because there were only four days between the robbery and the arrests,” he said.
Officials said the recovered helmet has only minor damage.
Museum director Robert van Langh said the damage is “very difficult even to see” and added that the object can be fully restored. He also confirmed that the two recovered bracelets are in perfect condition.
The Helmet of Cotofenesti dates back to the 5th century BC and holds strong cultural importance in Romania. The theft and recovery have drawn sustained media attention in both countries.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu welcomed the development, calling it “extraordinary news” and stressing the importance of protecting heritage passed down through generations.
The Dutch government had previously set aside €5.7 million for a potential compensation payout following the theft.
Authorities continue to search for the remaining bracelet as the legal process against the suspects moves forward.
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