The Drents Museum was warned about security issues weeks before several Romanian treasures were stolen. The insurer warned that th...

The Drents Museum was warned about security issues weeks before several Romanian treasures were stolen. The insurer warned that the glass in the display cases was not strong enough to withstand hammer blows, media reported based on photos and documents. It proved to be the case, the display case holding the stolen golden helmet of Coțofenești shattered after just two blows. Three men broke into the Drents Museum on January 25. They blew open an exterior door with a firework bomb, smashed two display cases with sledgehammers, and stole a golden helmet and two golden bracelets. By the time the police arrived 15 minutes later, the perpetrators were long gone. Three suspects are in custody, but the 2,500-year-old Romanian treasures are still missing. Four weeks before the exhibition Dacia, Empire of Gold and Silver opened, an expert from the museum’s insurer, Aon, conducted a comprehensive inspection. The expert explicitly warned the museum about the weaknesses that the art thieves later exploited. The display cases were too weak. “The burglary resistance of the display cases is too low, considering the insured value,” Aon wrote. “Therefore, we recommend additional security: use display cases with burglary resistance of at least five minutes.” The Drents Museum did not replace the display cases. Aon also warned about the emergency exit, which the thieves blew open with Ti-rex fireworks. According to the report, no security rating was known for that door, even though it was the only barrier to entering the gallery. https://lnkd.in/g4CZpcmx