**Authorities seek Interpol assistance as museum staff express shock over major security breach.**
**Explosives Used in Overnight Theft of Ancient Gold Artefacts from Dutch Museum**
**Explosives Used in Overnight Theft of Ancient Gold Artefacts from Dutch Museum**
**Four priceless gold pieces, including a famed Dacian helmet, taken in daring heist.**
Four ancient gold artefacts were stolen from the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands, after an audacious nighttime raid on Saturday. Using explosives, the thieves breached the museum's security, targeting an exhibition featuring exquisite Romanian jewellery crafted from gold and silver. Among the stolen items were three Dacian spiral bracelets and the museum's centerpiece, the Helmet of Cotofenesti, a remarkable piece dating back nearly 2,500 years.
Romania's culture ministry has vowed to take comprehensive measures to retrieve the stolen artefacts, which had been loaned from Bucharest. The museum's director, Harry Tupan, expressed profound shock, calling the incident the most significant in the institution's 170-year history. Police were alerted to a loud explosion around 03:45 local time (04:45 GMT) and immediately began forensic investigations while examining security camera footage.
Authorities are also looking into a burnt vehicle discovered on a nearby road, which they believe could be connected to the robbery. Dutch police noted that the scenario suggests the suspects may have switched vehicles in the vicinity of the fire. Although no arrests have yet been made, multiple suspects are believed to have been involved, prompting the involvement of Interpol in the ongoing investigation.
The stolen artefacts, which hold immense cultural value for Romania, include the decorated Helmet of Cotofenesti and several royal bracelets from the Dacian period. The helmet, adorned with mythological designs, is considered a national treasure. In the late 1990s, a similar incident occurred when 24 bracelets from the same era were excavated by treasure hunters and sold internationally; Romania worked for years to reclaim them from various collectors in Europe and America.
Romania's culture ministry has vowed to take comprehensive measures to retrieve the stolen artefacts, which had been loaned from Bucharest. The museum's director, Harry Tupan, expressed profound shock, calling the incident the most significant in the institution's 170-year history. Police were alerted to a loud explosion around 03:45 local time (04:45 GMT) and immediately began forensic investigations while examining security camera footage.
Authorities are also looking into a burnt vehicle discovered on a nearby road, which they believe could be connected to the robbery. Dutch police noted that the scenario suggests the suspects may have switched vehicles in the vicinity of the fire. Although no arrests have yet been made, multiple suspects are believed to have been involved, prompting the involvement of Interpol in the ongoing investigation.
The stolen artefacts, which hold immense cultural value for Romania, include the decorated Helmet of Cotofenesti and several royal bracelets from the Dacian period. The helmet, adorned with mythological designs, is considered a national treasure. In the late 1990s, a similar incident occurred when 24 bracelets from the same era were excavated by treasure hunters and sold internationally; Romania worked for years to reclaim them from various collectors in Europe and America.
