A priceless 2,500-year-old golden helmet from Romania, stolen last year from the Drents Museum in the Netherlands, has been recovered. The helmet, known as the Helmet of Coțofenești, was on loan as part of a six-month exhibition when it was taken in January 2025, along with three golden wristbands.
Prosecutors unveiled the recovered helmet during a news conference in Assen, accompanied by two of the three missing golden armbands. The recovery followed a deal reached with three men arrested shortly after the heist, though their trial has not yet begun. Authorities continue to search for the remaining armband.
The theft, carried out with a homemade firework bomb and sledgehammer, shocked Romania, with the then-President describing the artifacts as having “exceptional cultural and historical importance.” Dutch museums have previously been targeted by thieves.