Germany: Six men charged for stealing jewellery and artwork from Dresden Museum

Six men have been held guilty of breaking in and stealing jewellery and artwork from the Dresden Museum in Germany. The accused are natives of Germany, and all are aged between 22 and 27. The six of them have been charged with allegedly breaking into the Green Vault museum (Grünes Gewölbe), which is situated in the eastern German city. As per media reports, a total of 21 historic pieces of 18th-century jewellery, consisting of more than 4200 diamonds, were robbed, which has been estimated to be €113.8m. The authorities have not recovered the missing items, while the accused have denied all the charges.

Six Germans charged for stealing 18th-century jewels 

According to the prosecutors, the accused carried out their stealing plan by setting fire to one part of the museum and cutting off the electricity supply for street lights outside the museum and other street lights in the surrounding area. The accused also set a car on fire in a nearby garage to escape from the scene safely. As the emergency services were busy putting the blaze, the six of them headed towards Berlin. Meanwhile, the authorities have not discovered the missing jewellery, and the men have not acknowledged the accusations. Two suspects have a history of theft and are serving sentences for participating in the 100-kilogram theft of a Canadian gold coin, also known as the "Big Maple Leaf," from Berlin's Bode Museum in 2017.

Notably, the coins, with an estimated value of €3.75 million, are still missing, and authorities suspect they have been broken into small pieces and sold off. Meanwhile, Dresden’s state court will take the matter further and take the necessary steps against the six suspects to trial. Built in 1723, Germany's Grünes Gewölbe is one of the oldest museums in the world. It contains the treasury of 17th-century rulers, including 4,000 precious objects, gold, stones, and other materials. As per the media report, the museum management has confirmed that the stolen items, which are still missing, are essential with regard to culture, art, and price.

The Green Vault contains the largest treasure collection in Europe. The museum was founded in 1723 by Augustus the Strong of Poland and Saxony.

(IMAGE: PTI/UNSPLASH)

IMAGE: PTI/UNSPLASH