Three men jailed for nearly four years over Romanian art treasures stolen from Drents Museum

A Dutch court has sentenced three men to three years and eleven months in prison for a daring art heist at the Drents Museum. Bernhard Z., 35, Douglas W., 37, and Jan B., 21, all from Heerhugowaard, were found guilty of stealing four priceless Romanian artifacts from the "Dacia – Realm of Silver and Gold" exhibition.

The thieves smashed glass display cases to snatch the treasures, including the coveted golden helmet of Coțofenești and three gold bracelets, stuffing them into a sports bag. For over a year, the valuable pieces remained missing. Their recovery came in March, after protracted negotiations between the prosecution and the suspects' legal representatives. However, one gold bracelet is still unaccounted for.

The prosecution had initially sought a longer sentence for Bernhard Z., requesting five years and five months. Douglas W. and Jan B. had reached agreements with the justice department, which the Public Prosecution Service stated was crucial for the art's return. These agreements led to a one-third reduction in their sentence demands. The court considered these agreements when determining the sentences, acknowledging the return of part of the stolen loot. Despite making no such deal, Bernhard Z. received the same sentence as the other two men.