Dutch Businessman in Bucharest Raises Reward for Stolen Dacian Artifacts

The reward for a tip leading authorities to Romania’s stolen artworks from the Drents Museum has been raised to €250,000, Dutch entrepreneur Alex van Breemen, who lives in Bucharest, announced Wednesday. He is offering the reward for the recovery of the Coțofenești Helmet and three gold bracelets, according to nltimes.nl.

Van Breemen had initially offered 100,000 euros for any valuable tip. The businessman said, however, that the amount has now been increased, because it has been more than two weeks since the historical treasures of Romanian art, which the Dutch museum had loaned, were stolen.

“They have arrested several suspects, but they are not talking. So I wanted to bring attention to the case again. And maybe there are people who are willing to go beyond and provide information for that kind of money.”

The entrepreneur said he is passionate about Romania. “What happened is terrible. These objects are irreplaceable and must return to Romania for future generations.”

The helmet, the top piece, was made around 450 BC, and the bracelets about 50 years before Christ. The pieces were loaned by the National Museum of History of Romania in Bucharest to the Drents Museum for the exhibition “Dacia – Empire of Gold and Silver”. Three suspects were arrested in the stolen Dacian treasure case.