Dutch entrepreneur increases reward for tip on Romanian heritage items stolen from Drents Museum
Dutch entrepreneur Alex van Breemen has increased the reward for a tip that leads to the authorities finding the Romanian heritage objects that were stolen from the Drents Museum in The Netherlands on January 24 to 25. The famous golden Helmet of Coțofenești, c.a. 450 BC, and three Dacian bracelets have been taken from the museum, and the authorities are currently working to recover them.
The Dutch entrepreneur, who lives in Bucharest, initially offered EUR 100,000 for information on the golden helmet and the three bracelets. Now, the reward is EUR 250,000.
“They have arrested several suspects, but they are not talking. So, I wanted to bring renewed attention to the case. And maybe there are people who are willing to cross over and give information for this kind of money,” van Breemen said, cited by NL Times.
The businessman says that the objects are irreplaceable and need to return to Romania.
The helmet, the top piece, was made around 450 BC, and the bracelets around 50 years before Christ. The pieces were loaned by the National History Museum of Romania to the Drents Museum for the exhibition “Dacia - Empire of Gold and Silver.”
Dutch police arrested three suspects in the case. The pre-trial detention of the two male suspects was recently extended by 90 days, and the detention of the female suspect was extended by 30 days by the Noord-Nederland court. The first public hearing in this case is planned for May 9, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) reported.
As part of the investigation, police have released the names and photos of the two male suspects: Bernhard Z. and Douglas W. By revealing their identities, authorities hope to quickly uncover the whereabouts of the stolen gold. Police are also searching for a fourth suspect, whose images were taken at Praxis in Assen a day and a half before the art theft.
If the helmet and gold bracelets are not recovered, the Dutch government may reportedly face a compensation claim of EUR 5.8 million.
Ernest Oberländer-Târnoveanu, the dismissed director of Romania’s National History Museum, recently revealed that Dutch authorities have ceased all communication with their Romanian counterparts regarding the ongoing investigation into the theft of the Dacian artifacts.
The decision follows a press conference where Diana Baciuna, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Culture, disclosed details from the contract for organizing the exhibition in Assen.
"The thieves know now not only that they stole significant artifacts, but they also have an idea of their estimated value, making it easier for them to leverage blackmail," Oberländer-Târnoveanu explained in the podcast, produced by the Friends of the National History Museum Foundation.
(Photo source: Drents Museum on Facebook)
