A suspect in the case of the theft of the Helmet from Coțofenești refuses a deal with the prosecutors. The difference from the other two detainees
One of the suspects in the case of the theft of the helmet from Coţofeneşti and three Dacian bracelets from the Drents Museum did not enter into any agreement with the Prosecutor's Office. The lawyers of the suspect Bernhard Z. (35 years old) argue that he was not present at the burglary of the Drents Museum, according to RTV Drenthe television, taken over by News.ro.
The information was confirmed by his lawyers for RTL Nieuws, which recalls that Bernhard Z. was arrested just four days after the art theft.
Police found his DNA on clothes that appeared to have been used during the robbery and which had been thrown into a dumpster in Assen. Glass shards from the museum were found on the clothes. According to the file, it also emerged that the man bought clothes and a sports bag that later seem to have been used in the art theft.
A possible defense for him could be that he was only involved in the preparations, not in the art theft itself, notes Dutch television.
Two suspects signed a plea deal with the prosecutors
However, the other two suspects reached an agreement with the Prosecutor's Office. Details of the agreement of Jan B. (21) and Douglas W. (37) have not been made public.
It is assumed that they admit their guilt in exchange for a reduced sentence from the judge.
Part of these agreements is the return of stolen art. The prosecutor's office announced at the beginning of this that the gold helmet from Cotofeneşti and two gold bracelets were found based on the suspects' instructions.
The trial will begin in the coming days
Next Tuesday, the criminal trial against the three suspects begins at the court in Assen. The question arises as to how long the trial will last, if the Public Prosecutor's Office and the suspects have already reached an agreement. In any case, the judge must rule on these agreements, which can also be rejected.
But the fact that the third suspect denies involvement in the act could mean that the process will have to be fully analyzed. Three days of hearings have been scheduled for next week at the court in Assen.
The prosecutor's office does not want to provide details about the agreements concluded with the suspects.
The golden helmet from Coţofeneşti was stolen on January 25 last year from the Drents Museum, just before the closing of the exhibition about the Dacian Empire. With the help of explosives, the perpetrators managed to force an entrance, after which they broke the windows and took the helmet and three bracelets. The helmet and two bracelets were found and publicly presented on April 2, being handed over to Romania.
The case became one of the biggest art heists in the Netherlands in recent years.
Suspects Jan B. (21), Douglas Chesley W. (37) and Bernhard Z. (35) will appear before the Assen court on April 14, 16 and 17.
