Female suspect in Drenthe art heist allowed to await investigation in freedom
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) in northern Netherlands has allowed a 40-year-old woman from Heerhugowaard to await the investigation into her role in the January art heist at the Drents Museum while remaining free.
The woman had been in preliminary detention since the theft of valuable Romanian art treasures from the museum on January 25, 2025. She remains a suspect in the case.
Meanwhile, three men — aged 26, 34, and 36, all from Heerhugowaard — remain in custody. The court in Assen will hold a public hearing on May 9, 2025, to determine whether to extend their preliminary detention.
The men have been placed under restrictions, including no contact with the outside world, and can only communicate with their lawyers. The investigation into the theft is ongoing.
The theft at the Drents Museum in Assen on January 25, 2025, targeted valuable gold and silver artifacts from the "Dacia – Rijk van Goud en Zilver" exhibition, which was nearing its final weekend. The heist followed an explosion that shattered several windows, allowing the thieves to enter and steal items, including three gold bracelets and the exhibition's centerpiece, the golden helmet of Cotofenesti. The exhibition showcased over 600 gold and silver pieces from Romanian museums, and the stolen objects were considered irreplaceable.
