Dutch authorities on Thursday announced the recovery of a 2,500-year-old golden helmet stolen from a museum in the Netherlands, along with two ancient gold bracelets loaned from Romania.
The Helmet of Cotofenesti, a 5th-century BC Dacian artifact, was taken in January 2025 when a gang broke into the Drents Museum in northern Netherlands using firework bombs and smashed display cases. Three men are currently on trial in connection with the robbery.
At a news conference, prosecutors presented the stolen golden helmet, now recovered, alongside the two bracelets. Police officer Corien Fahner said investigators were pleased to confirm the finds and noted the search for a third bracelet taken in the same robbery remains active.
Museum director Robert van Langh said the helmet has minor damage that is barely visible and can be fully restored. He said the two bracelets were returned in undamaged condition.
Suspects pressured with rewards as Romanian outrage grows
The robbery triggered widespread outrage in Romania and set off a large police investigation. Authorities tried several times to learn where the artifacts had been hidden. One suspect was offered a reduced sentence in exchange for disclosing the location of the helmet.
An undercover officer also reportedly offered a separate suspect 400,000 euros ($420,000) for information. A 100,000-euro ($108,000) public reward was announced separately for tips leading to the helmet’s whereabouts.
Breaking good news: The Gold Helmet of Coțofenești — a key historical artifact for the people of #Romania, stolen in 2025 from the Drents Museum — has just been recovered in the #Netherlands, together with two of its three Dacian Gold Bracelets.
The helmet and the bracelets had… pic.twitter.com/SJ4VrTVTaR
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) April 2, 2026
Drents Museum general director Harry Tupan said at the time of the theft that the museum had never faced an incident of that scale in its 170-year history.
Then Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu condemned the loss of what he called irreplaceable objects and said his country was considering pursuing damages on a large scale.
Romanian cultural journalist Claudia Marcu, speaking to Dutch public broadcaster NOS, said the theft had a deep impact on the Romanian community in the Netherlands. She said it was comparable to what Dutch people would feel if Rembrandt’s The Night Watch were taken.
Art detective helped recover the stolen golden helmet
The Dutch government set aside 5.7 million euros ($6.5 million) toward a potential payout after the robbery. The artifacts had been loaned from a Bucharest museum whose director was dismissed following the decision to send the pieces abroad.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu called the development outstanding news and said it showed that persistence matters when objects of lasting cultural value are at stake.
Art detective Arthur Brand, who assisted in the effort, called it the best possible result. He said he and the police used their contacts to persuade the suspects to cooperate in exchange for reduced punishment.
Brand said investigators had believed from early on that the helmet was intact, since arrests were made only four days after the robbery.
