According to Investigation Thieves used explosives to blast their way into Drents Museum in Assen, where they were hosting an exhibition for Romanian jewelry made of gold and silver. Along with the display's centerpiece, the dazzlingly decorated Helmet of Cotofenesti, which was created about 2,500 years ago, they took three Dacian spiral bracelets with them. The Romanian Ministry of Culture has vowed to take all necessary procedures to recover the stolen items, which were leased to the Dutch museum from Bucharest. A burned car that was discovered on a neighboring road is also being looked at by police, who believe it may be connected to the break-in. A possible scenario is that the suspects switched to another vehicle near the fire, a Dutch police statement read.
No arrests have been made, but authorities believe numerous people were involved. Police have contacted the worldwide policing body Interpol for assistance with the investigation. With the Helmet of Cotofenesti being regarded as a national treasure, all four of the stolen objects have enormous cultural value for Romania. The Romanian government battled for years to reclaim them from collectors in Austria, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States.The museum stated that four "archaeological masterpieces" were taken, including the Cotofenesti helmet from circa 450 BC and three ancient Dacian royal bracelets.
