Three prehistoric gold bracelets from archaeological sites in Romania, stolen by unknown perpetrators and later alienated, were brought to the country from Belgium on Tuesday. The national heritage items were spotted when they appeared at an auction in Monte Carlo, News.ro reported.

The Prosecutor’s Office at the High Court of Cassation and Justice (PÎCCJ) announces that on Tuesday two prosecutors together with police officers from the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigations (IGPR – DIC) brought three bracelets to the country prehistoric gold (Bronze Age and early Hallstatt period, mid -end of the 2nd millennium BC), coming from archaeological sites in Romania, taken from the MAS museum in Antwerp (Belgium).

“Three movable cultural assets protected by law were stolen by unknown assailants and subsequently alienated. Two of them were identified when they were put up for sale at a public auction in the Principality of Monaco. The third bracelet was discovered during a search at the residence in Belgium of a person who handed over two bracelets to an auction house in Monte Carlo for the purpose of public sale,” the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.

Noticed when they appeared at the auction in Monte Carlo

According to prosecutors, on October 27, 2020, the Belgian judicial authorities reported the appearance of two bracelets in the catalog of the auction in Monte Carlo, and on November 11, 2020, the criminal investigation authorities of the judicial police within the framework of the IGPR – The Internal Security Service, the National Security Service were notified of the commission of the crime of qualified theft cultural heritage.

The criminal case was initially registered by the Prosecutor’s Office at District Court 2 of Bucharest, and on March 31, 2022, it was transferred to the Criminal Investigations and Forensics Department of the PÎCCJ.

“The resolution initiated a criminal prosecution for the fact of qualified theft, and later expanded the criminal prosecution for the crime related to the implementation of illegal export operations. The resolution also extended the criminal proceedings against the person suspected of committing the crime of concealment. From the evidence provided, it became clear that the three bracelets come from archaeological sites in northwestern Romania, and for their export it was necessary to obtain an export certificate, a document that does not exist,” the prosecutors also clarified.

According to them, on June 7, 2022, the Criminal Investigation Department of the PÎCCJ issued a European Investigation Warrant addressed to the Belgian judicial authorities, requesting the transfer/handover to the Romanian judicial authority, in this case the Prosecutor’s Office at the High Court of Cassation and Justice, of physical evidence (three gold bracelets in the custody of the investigating judge at the Court of First Instance of Verne, Belgium) and a copy, according to the original, the case is pending before the investigating judge.

Transferred to the National Historical Museum of Romania

“In order to make possible the return of the bracelets to Romania, it was necessary for the Flemish Regional Ministry – Department of Culture to initiate a declassification procedure (the bracelets are protected by Flemish law as precious artefacts listed as heritage). The return of the bracelets became possible thanks to the very close judicial cooperation with the investigating judge from the court of first instance of the city of Verne (Belgium) and thanks to the support of the regional ministry of Flanders – the Department of Culture, the Embassy of Romania in Brussels and the national member of Eurojust,” the General Prosecutor’s Office also sent.

These assets have been seized and will be transferred to the National Historical Museum of Romania for safekeeping until the case is finally resolved and will be subjected to interdisciplinary examination (physico-chemical, museographic, etc.).

Three prehistoric gold bracelets found by Romanian authorities (Photo: Public Ministry)