Theft in Netherlands of ancient golden helmet leaves Romania distraught

The 2,500-year-old Cotofenesti helmet, one Romania’s most revered national treasures, was stolen from Drents Museum

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Drents Museum director Harry Tupan (right) speaks during a news conference in front of an image of the ancient golden Cotofenesti helmet, at the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands on Saturday. Photo: RTL Nieuws via AP

Published: 2:42am, 28 Jan 2025Updated: 9:06am, 28 Jan 2025

The prize in this art theft is worth more than its gold. To Romania, the ancient helmet is a priceless cultural heirloom. To the Netherlands, it’s a stolen artefact that authorities hope to retrieve to uphold a reputation for safe museums.

The intricate golden Cotofenesti helmet dates back some 2,500 years and is one Romania’s most revered national treasures from the Dacia civilisation. It was on display at the small Drents Museum in eastern Netherlands on the last weekend of a 6-month stint when thieves grabbed it.

The theft of the helmet and three golden wristbands also on display sent shock waves through the art world, and devastated Romanian authorities who thought they were loaning the items to a nation where security for museums was paramount.

“It is a pitch dark day for us,” museum director Harry Tupan said.

Investigators had found few clues by late Monday beyond a burnt-out car close to the museum, indicating the thieves wanted to cover their tracks.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said the artefacts have “exceptional cultural and historical importance” for Romanian heritage and identity, and that their disappearance had “a strong emotional and symbolic impact on society”.

It was a robbery that “even in our most pessimistic dreams, we would not have believed possible”, said the director of Romania’s National History Museum, Ernest Oberlander-Tarnoveanu.