Three arrested for stealing Romanian artifacts from Drents Museum; Gold not recovered
Three people were arrested on Wednesday as part of the investigation into the brazen theft of Romanian gold artifacts from the Drents Museum last weekend. The gold helmet and bracelets stolen during the burglary have not yet been recovered, police said. All three suspects were being held in restricted custody, meaning they may only remain in contact with an attorney.
The three arrests were made by police in Heerhugowaard, a city less than an hour north of Amsterdam in the province of Noord-Holland. The city is also close to Alkmaar. A Volkswagen Golf was stolen from there last week, and used in the robbery. It was found burned out soon after the incident.
"Three people have been detained by the Dutch police, suspected of committing this theft with a particularly serious impact on Romanians. None of the three are Romanian," said Romania's Interior State Secretary Bogdan Despescu during a press conference.
“We are very pleased with the hopeful news regarding the arrests in Noord-Holland,” the Drents Museum said in a statement. “The safe return of the stolen artefacts would be a fantastic next step for all involved. Not only for us, but especially for the Romanian people.”
The robbery took place at about 3:45 a.m. on Saturday when explosives were used to make an entrance into the museum. Three individuals could be seen in camera footage of the incident. They were likely in and out within a short timeframe.
Police indicated more arrests are possible. Earlier on Wednesday, police released three photos of a man they believe to be involved in the burglary. He is still at large. The photographs were taken by a surveillance camera inside a hardware store in Assen, the same municipality where the museum is located.
“We are still looking for this suspect. Do you know who he is? Please let us know,” police wrote in an update. The photographs of the man were released a day after police said they wanted to know more about a sledgehammer and a deadblow hammer found at the scene which may have been used in the burglary. Authorities were also looking for information about a Volkswagen Golf that was stolen from Alkmaar, as well as a van that may have been used by the suspects.
In general, suspects must be brought before an examining magistrate for a preliminary hearing within three days, which can be delayed by up to three days in some urgent circumstances. The magistrate can remand them to jail for up to 14 days prior to an arraignment hearing at a district court.
“The theft has deeply affected many people; in Romania, but also here in Assen. We are extremely grateful for all the expressions of support we have received,” the Museum said.
