On November 22, 2022, a heist at the Celtic-Roman Museum in Manching, Bavaria, led to the theft of 483 gold coins weighing around 3.7 kilograms. This theft, executed by at least three of the four defendants on trial, became one of the most audacious in recent German history. It involved one of the largest Celtic gold finds of the 20th century, valued at an estimated 1.5 million euros. The Ingolstadt Regional Court recently sentenced four East German men for their involvement in the crime, alongside other burglary offenses spanning years across Germany and Austria, as reported by Het Nieuwsblad.
The trial spanned more than six months, with approximately 30 hearings and testimony from about a hundred witnesses. The court issued varying prison terms: the 48-year-old main accused from Plate near Schwerin received an 11-year sentence; a 45-year-old from Berlin was sentenced to eight years, though not for the Manching break-in; and two other men from Schwerin received sentences of seven years and four years and nine months, respectively. Much of the conviction rested on circumstantial evidence, as the defendants remained silent throughout the trial, refusing to comment on the charges, according to sources like Süddeutsche Zeitung and DW.
The stolen items included not just 483 coins but also larger gold pieces, most still unaccounted for, leaving about 500 coins missing. DNA traces found on tools at the crime scene led authorities to the suspects, while melted remnants of the gold, weighing about 500 grams, were discovered at the residence of one of the defendants, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported. Further evidence included location data from mobile networks and tools found with the men at the time of their arrest, reinforcing the connection to the crime.
Prior to the heist, the gang sabotaged telecommunication systems in Manching, disabling local alarms and ensuring their rapid escape. Prosecutors accused the group of numerous burglaries since 2014, targeting cash safes and ATMs, and sought lengthy sentences due to the offenders' "high criminal energy" over this period, as noted by Süddeutsche Zeitung and Stern.
Despite hopes that the trial would reveal the whereabouts of the missing coins, the fate of the remaining treasure, described by investigators as irreplaceable, remains uncertain. The cultural significance of these coins makes them invaluable, according to scientists and experts.
“While the perpetrators have remained silent about the whereabouts of the approximately 400 still missing coins is incomprehensible,” expressed Bavaria's Minister of Art, Markus Blume, as reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung. The court's decision is not yet legally binding, as defense attorneys have signaled intent to appeal. Blume's statement underscores the broader regret that a large portion of a cultural asset of immeasurable value remains absent.
Produced with the assistance of a news-analysis system.