A priceless 2,500-year-old gold helmet from Romania, stolen from a Dutch museum last year, has been recovered as part of a plea deal with suspects. Prosecutors unveiled the Coțofenești helmet during a news conference on Thursday in Assen, Netherlands.
The helmet, linked to the lost Dacian civilisation and dating from around 450BC, was stolen along with three golden bracelets from the Drents Museum in January last year. Robert van Langh, the museum's director, described the return of all but one bracelet as a 'wow moment'.
The stolen items had been on loan from the Romanian National History Museum. The theft led to international headlines, diplomatic tensions between Romania and the Netherlands, and a treasure hunt. Dutch police arrested three suspects within days, and their trial is due to begin this month.
Chief public prosecutor Corien Fahner said the helmet and two bracelets were recovered on 1 April as part of a plea deal. The helmet has minor damage, including a small dent and a dislodged glue repair, which can be fixed in about an hour.
Romanian prosecutor Rareș Stan confirmed the investigation continues for the third bracelet, expressing confidence it will be returned. The former director of the National History Museum, Ernest Oberländer-Târnoveanu, who was fired after the theft, said he felt 'relieved and more than happy'.
