A Netherlands court has sentenced three men to 47 months in prison each for stealing ancient Romanian gold artifacts from a Dutch museum last year.
The Northern Netherlands District Court handed down the sentences on Friday. The men were convicted for the January 2025 overnight raid on the Drents Museum in which they used explosives to steal the Cotofenesti helmet and three golden bracelets. The items, on loan from Romania, are national treasures from the Dacia civilization. Two of the bracelets were recovered earlier this year after two of the thieves cooperated with prosecutors, while the third bracelet remains missing. The helmet sustained minor damage. The court noted the artifacts' insurance value of about $6.6 million but emphasized they are priceless. All three men received reduced sentences because the treasures were returned to Romania.
