A Romanian gold helmet and two bracelets stolen from a Drenthe museum in the Netherlands in 2025 have been returned. The suspects themselves helped find them — in exchange for help in returning the artifacts, they struck a deal with prosecutors. The fate of the third bracelet remains unknown.
This is reported by the Dutch broadcaster RTV Drenthe.
“We are incredibly pleased with the discovery of the golden Cotsofenesti helmet and bracelets. After the robbery, we launched an investigation with two goals: to find the art treasures and to arrest the criminals,” a representative of the Dutch prosecutor's office said at a press conference.
The Romanian Ministry of Justice is also pleased with the return of the treasures: “For the last year, we have been cooperating with the Netherlands on this issue. Ten days after the theft, we created a special team to search for the treasures. This is now bearing fruit.”
After the artifacts were returned, it was discovered that the helmet had suffered minor damage — it was slightly dented. Two of the three bracelets were also returned, the last one is still being searched for. It is not specified in which country the helmet was found.
The press conference also announced that the artifacts would be returned to Romania as soon as possible.
A recovered gold helmet from Cotsofeneshti and two gold bracelets are displayed in a glass case in Assen, April 2, 2026. Sem van der Wal / ANP / AFP via Getty Images
The Golden Helmet was stolen on the night of January 24-25, 2025, during a daring attack on the museum. The attackers used explosives to enter the building, then smashed the display windows and stole the Golden Helmet and three gold bracelets. All the items belonged to the National History Museum of Romania and were provided for a temporary exhibition.
The theft caused widespread outrage in Europe and caused diplomatic tensions between the Netherlands and Romania. The Romanian side threatened a lawsuit for millions of euros if the cultural treasures were not returned, while the Dutch authorities promised to make every effort to find them.
Seven people were detained as part of the investigation, but three of them were later decided not to face criminal charges. The trial of some of the suspects is scheduled to take place in the spring .
What is known about the helmet?
The Cotsofenești Helmet, dating back to the 5th century BC, is considered a national symbol of Romania and has not only significant material but also exceptional cultural value.
The team of archaeologists discovered that the helmet belonged to an unknown local Geto-Dacian king or local aristocrat, from around 400 BC. It is very well preserved, with only the upper part missing. The helmet is decorated with large spikes and very large eyes, intended to protect against the “evil eye” and magical spells, as well as images of mythical creatures and illustrations of ritual action.
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