Admin l Saturday, December 17, 2022
BERLIN – German investigators found a large part of the loot stolen from Dresden’s Green Vault three years ago, according to the police and public prosecutor’s office.
Officials seized 31 individual items in Berlin on Friday night, the police and public prosecutor’s office said on Saturday. On November 25, 2019, two thieves broke into the Green Vault in Dresden Castle via a window and smashed a display case with an axe before making off with valuable treasures dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
The recovered pieces were brought to Dresden accompanied by members of the special police force.
In the capital of the eastern German state of Saxony, they will first be forensically examined. Afterwards, experts from the Dresden State Art Collections will examine their condition and authenticity.
According to the investigators, the discovery of the valuable pieces was preceded by exploratory talks with the lawyers of the suspected burglars.
Since the beginning of the year, the six suspects have been on trial in Dresden for aggravated gang theft and arson.
Saxon Premier Michael Kretschmer thanked the police and judiciary for their “first-class work” after the discovery.
“Saxony says: thank you,” the conservative politician declared on Saturday, continuing: “The valuable works of art from the Green Vault belong to the cultural heritage of our country.”
Saxony’s Culture Minister Barbara Klepsch, also a Christian Democrat, praised the work of the investigators, saying on Saturday: “It shows that it is worth working on the return of the looted treasures.”
“Now it remains to be seen what the experts will find when they inspect the pieces and what condition they are in,” said Klepsch.
She said she was hopeful that the “wound” that had been created in the historic Green Vault would now soon close.
“This shows that even three years after this painful collapse, it is worthwhile not to give up hope and to pursue all possible leads,” said Klepsch. Some 4,300 diamonds and other gemstones were stolen from the vault in the eastern German city.
The loot had a total value of more than €113 million ($119 million).
