It was a robbery that shocked the art world. The emergency exit of the Drents Museum in Assen was blown up with a heavy explosive, after which three thieves took Coțofenești’s golden helmet from the fifth century BC and three gold bracelets in fifty seconds. The art treasures from Romania were insured for 5.7 million euros, but their importance and value cannot be expressed in money, the court in Assen emphasized on Friday.
The judge called it a robbery that had been prepared “in a refined and professional manner.” “The museum was unable to withstand so much violence,” and “only a hefty prison sentence would suffice.”
Jan B. (21), Bernhard Z. (36), and Douglas W. (37) receive three years and eleven months in prison. All three were the same, even though Douglas W. and Jan B. made trial agreements with the Public Prosecution Service, resulting in the gold helmet and two of the three bracelets being returned in April. The court also does not know where they were all that time. It also remains unclear who returned the helmet and armbands. As a result, the court could not ‘differentiate’.
Douglas W. and Jan B. were present in court on Friday. Bernhard Z. does not. He also made no agreements with the Public Prosecution Service. During the substantive hearing of the case in April, he denied having been present in the museum during the robbery. But the three of them really did it, the judge says. Or as Jan B. previously stated to undercover agents: they were a team.
Agreements on appeal
The Public Prosecution Service demanded 44 months in prison against Jan B. and Douglas W. and five years and five months against Bernhard Z. But the court did not agree with that. In the sentence, the court took into account the return of the helmet and two of the three bracelets. If that had not happened, the court would have imposed a prison sentence of 6.5 years. Sharing the photos and the full identities of Bernhard Z. and Douglas W. also led to a reduced prison sentence. The court takes into account the adverse consequences of the photos, which will always continue to circulate online.
In the sentence, the court took into account the return of the helmet and two of the three bracelets
The Public Prosecution Service also agreed with Jan B. and Douglas W. that they would not appeal if a prison sentence deviated from the requirement by three months. The court actually wanted to demand 48 months, but deducted one month to prevent the two from appealing. It is possible for Bernhard Z. to appeal, because he has not made any agreements with the Public Prosecution Service.
The three suspects were mainly silent during the hearings. In court on Friday, Douglas W. wore a striking T-shirt, with an illustration of Coțofenești’s golden helmet on the back and a reference to a website. On that online page you can buy caps, T-shirts and shorts with the golden helmet on it.
In court, Douglas W. wore a striking T-shirt, with an illustration of the golden helmet and a reference to a website on the back
On the website of that clothing line there is a drawing by W., with a story. “My name is Douglas Chesley W. You may have heard about the stories surrounding the golden helmet, but I want to put a positive spin on it so I founded this brand.” As a source for information about Coțofenești’s helmet, the webshop links to the website of the Drents Museum.
