Suspects blow up museum door in the Netherlands, steal ancient artifacts

Published Jan 27 Updated Jan 27

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer)

Police in the Netherlands are looking for a group of suspected thieves who stole a 2,400-year-old gold helmet from a museum after using explosives to break through the door. Police released grainy surveillance video showing the four suspects early Saturday, Jan. 25, opening an exterior door before a blast sends sparks and smoke into the air.

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It happened at the Drents Museum of Assen where the group made off with the helmet of Cotofenesti, which the museum was borrowing from the National History Museum of Romania for an exhibit.

What’s the meaning behind the golden helmet?

The helmet has a mythological design with large studs and a pair of eyes. The eyes were thought to get rid of enemies during battle while protecting the “evil eye.”

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Experts said the helmet is well known. Because of that, experts believe the thieves will only make money off the gold if they melt the items.

The museum said three gold bracelets were also taken in the heist.

Do police have any leads?

Police said they’ve had several tips. Investigators are currently looking into a possible connection to a nearby car fire the morning of the museum break-in.

Tags: Art, Explosion, Gold, Netherlands, Romania

[Karah]

POLICE IN THE NETHERLANDS ARE LOOKING FOR A GROUP OF SUSPECTED THIEVES WHO STOLE A 24-HUNDRED YEAR OLD GOLD HELMET FROM A MUSEUM AFTER USING EXPLOSIVES TO BREAK THROUGH THE DOOR.

POLICE RELEASED GRAINY SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWING THE FOUR SUSPECTS EARLY SATURDAY MORNING … OPENING AN EXTERIOR DOOR BEFORE A BLAST SENDS SPARKS AND SMOKE INTO THE AIR.

IT HAPPENED AT THE DRENTS MUSEUM OF ASSEN WHERE THE GROUP MADE OFF WITH THE HELMET OF COTOFENESTI.

– WHICH THE MUSEUM WAS BORROWING FROM THE NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF ROMANIA FOR AN EXHIBIT.

IT HAS A MYTHOLOGICAL DESIGN WITH LARGE STUDS AND A PAIR OF EYES THAT WERE THOUGHT TO GET RID OF ENEMIES DURING BATTLE WHILE PROTECTING THE “EVIL EYE.”

BECAUSE THE HELMET IS SO WELL KNOWN, EXPERTS SAY IT’S NOT SELLABLE AND THE THIEVES WILL ONLY MAKE MONEY OFF THE GOLD IF THEY MELT THE ITEMS.

THE MUSEUM SAYS THREE GOLD BRACELETS WERE ALSO TAKEN IN THE HEIST.

POLICE SAY THEY’VE HAD SEVERAL TIPS AND THEY’RE CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO A POSSIBLE CONNECTION TO A NEARBY CAR FIRE THE MORNING OF THE MUSEUM BREAK-IN.

FOR SAN I’M … KARAH RUCKER.

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