In a sports bag with clothing that was dumped after the artok of the Drents Museum, tracks of gold are found. This is evident from the research into the theft of the Romanian treasures. The three main suspects of the theft remain in jail for at least ninety days longer.
That became known during the second introductory hearing at the court in Assen.
The sports bag was found after the robbery in a container on Pelikaanstraat in Assen. The Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) has found tiny gold particles in the bag. According to the Public Prosecution Service (OM), this indicates that the stolen treasures have been in the bag.
The bag also contained items of clothing with DNA traces of Douglas Chesley W. and Bernhard Z. and glass shards that probably come from the museum.
The OM announced during the session that the investigation into the roof of the art treasures is ready. That stands for the OM separate from the research into the four gold objects that were stolen from the museum. They have not yet been found and the search for art continues.
In the night of January 24 to 25, three gold bracelets and the golden helmet of Cotofenesti were stolen from the Drents Museum in Assen. The golden helmet was the absolute showpiece of an exhibition about the Dacian Empire and one of the most important art treasures in Romania
The treasures are insured for 5.7 million euros. If the objects are not found, the Dutch state must compensate the damage.
Of the three suspects, W. and Jan B. were present in court today. Z. wasn’t there. All three suspects come from Heerhugowaard. The OM is certainly convinced that they were in the museum during the robbery.
For B. it was the first time he had to appear in court. Just like the other two suspects, he is suspected of causing an explosion, damaging the museum and the theft of the golden helmet and the bracelets.
It was striking that during the session, Chesley W. fell out against co -suspect Jan B. “I have difficulty with that he is sitting next to me, I really have to restrain myself. I would like to give him a few ticks.” When the judge B. asked if he feels threatened by this, he said he didn’t want to respond.
At the previous session in May, the case against B. was not yet dealt with. He is also known as the ‘DIY store suspect’. From him, photos were distributed by the police from a hardware store in Assen.
In the Praxis he bought a sledgehammer and a front hammer. He was arrested later than Z. and W., because an undercover operation had been set up against him. He would have admitted to undercover agents that he had committed the robbery, together with the other two.
He would also have said that W. was the brain behind everything and that W. left with the art treasures on his own to save them somewhere, with the aim of selling them later.
At the hearing it was announced that DNA van B. was found on a crowbar found in the exhibition hall of the Drents Museum.
Douglas Chesley W. said during the session that he wants to wait for his lawsuit at home. He has two small children. “They need me. I want to go back to my family,” said W., who emphasizes that he will report if the OM asks for that.
W.’s lawyer says that his client was in a moldy cell with holes in the floor for two months. The cell has since been declared uninhabitable. That is also why, according to his lawyer, W. should now be released for the time being.
The court does not think that the personal circumstances of W. and the stay in the dirty cell are exceptional reasons to release him temporarily. According to the court, the suspicion against him is too heavy for that. Z. and B. are also stuck for that reason.
The next session will follow in October. Then it becomes clear whether four other suspects, a woman and three men from Heerhugowaard and Alkmaar, will be continued. The Public Prosecution Service hopes to be able to deal with the case in the second quarter of 2026.