Dutch police have arrested three people in connection with a museum heist that saw thieves blow open a door with explosives before stealing four priceless ancient artifacts, including an approximately 2,500-year-old gold helmet on loan from Romania.

On Jan. 30, officials in the Netherlands published the names and photographs of two of the suspects, Douglas Chesley Wendersteyt and Bernhard Zeeman, less than a week after the heist at Drents Museum in Assen, some 128 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. The third person, a woman, was not named.

All three suspects hail from the city of Heerhugowaard in the Netherlands, police said, more than 112 kilometers from the museum.

The daring heist occurred early morning on Jan. 25, according to Dutch police, who received a report of an explosion at 3:45 a.m. local time. Grainy CCTV footage shows suspects opening an exterior door before a blast sends sparks and smoke into the air.

Among the stolen items, which have not yet been recovered, are three 2,000-year-old gold bracelets and the Helmet of Cotofenesti, a historically important item on loan from the National History Museum of Romania. Dutch police have described finding the artifacts as their “absolute priority,” appealing for information from the public.

Investigators say they tracked down the suspects after discovering a bag containing clothing in Assen. They also searched properties in Heerhugowaard.

Police are appealing for information about a black van, which they say may have been driven by one of the thieves following the heist, as well as various tools used during the break-in — including hammers and a crowbar. Officials have released images of another man, seen at a hardware store in Assen, who is also linked to the heist.

The four stolen items were part of an exhibition about the Dacians, an ancient society that occupied much of present-day Romania before being conquered by the Romans.

Drents Museum describes the Helmet of Cotofenesti — which was uncovered in a Romanian village almost a century ago — as a masterpiece. Its design features mythological scenes and a pair of golden eyes that were thought to deter enemies during battle, while protecting against the “evil eye.”

People fear that the gold helmet, a Romanian national treasure which weighs around two pounds, would be melted down.

荷兰警方逮捕了三名与一起博物馆盗窃案有关的嫌疑人。这起案件中，窃贼使用炸药炸开大门，盗走了四件珍贵古代文物，包括一件从罗马尼亚借展的金质头盔，该头盔可追溯到约2500年前。

1月30日，荷兰官方公布了其中两名嫌疑人的姓名和照片，分别是道格拉斯•切斯利•温德斯特伊特和伯恩哈德•泽曼。这起盗窃案发生在阿姆斯特丹东北约128公里处的阿森市德伦特博物馆，案发不到一周后，警方公布了这些信息。第三名嫌疑人是一名女性，未公开姓名。

警方表示，这三名嫌疑人均来自荷兰的海尔许霍瓦德市，距博物馆超过112公里。

据荷兰警方称，这起大胆的窃案发生在1月25日凌晨。警方在当地时间凌晨3点45分接到爆炸警情。模糊的监控录像显示，嫌疑人打开了一扇外门，随后爆炸产生的火花和烟雾弥漫空中。

被盗物品中包括三件2000年前的金手镯和科托芬内斯蒂头盔，这些物品至今尚未追回。科托芬内斯蒂头盔是从罗马尼亚国家历史博物馆借展的重要历史文物。荷兰警方表示，找回这些文物是他们的“绝对优先任务”，并呼吁公众提供线索。

调查人员称，他们在阿森市发现了一个装有衣物的袋子后追踪到了嫌疑人。他们还搜查了海尔许霍瓦德市的几处房产。

警方正在寻求有关一辆黑色货车的线索，据称这辆车可能是其中一名窃贼作案后驾驶的。此外，警方还呼吁提供与窃案中使用的各种工具相关的信息，包括锤子和撬棍。官方还公布了一名在阿森市五金店出现的男子的影像，该男子也与这起盗窃案有关。

这四件被盗物品是有关达契亚人的展览的一部分。达契亚人是一个古代王国，被罗马人征服前曾占据现今罗马尼亚的大部分地区。德伦特博物馆称科托芬内斯蒂头盔是一件杰作。头盔饰有神话场景和一双眼睛，在战斗中用来威慑敌人，同时还能防止战士被“恶魔之眼”盯上。

人们担心这件两磅黄金打造的罗马尼亚国宝会被熔化。

(Translated by DeepSeek)