- Four individuals face accusations for allegedly conceding Manchinger Celtic treasures.
It's claimed that it took less than ten minutes for the burglars to swipe the nearly 4-kilogram Kelten-Goldschatz from Manching from its display cases. These suspects are now facing trial: Almost two years after the high-profile heist at the Celtic Roman Museum in Manching, the Ingolstadt Public Prosecutor's Office has pressed charges against four men aged 43 to 51.
They are under accusation of breaking into the museum in November 2022, utilizing heavy prying tools. Their objective: to steal the exhibited Celtic gold treasure, as announced by the Public Prosecutor's Office. The "Augsburger Allgemeine" first reported on the incident.
Most of the Celtic treasure remains unaccounted for
The estimated value of the approximately 500 stolen coins is around 1.5 million euros. The coin collection, discovered in Manching in 1999, was regarded as the largest Celtic gold find of the last century and the museum's pride. More than two-thirds of the nearly 2100-year-old treasure remains untraceable. Evidence suggests that dozens of the valuable and historically significant coins have been melted down. The four men have yet to make any comments regarding the accusations.
The indictment has yet to be accepted into the main trial. No official trial date has been announced yet, a spokesperson for Ingolstadt Regional Court confirmed. The trial is being handled by the first criminal chamber presided over by Judge Konrad Kliegl, who is currently presiding over another murder trial. The "Augsburger Allgemeine" has reported a potential trial start date of January 21, 2025.
Historically significant coins melted down
The accused - three from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and one from Berlin - were apprehended in July 2023 and have been in detention since. A 47-year-old from the Schwerin area is believed to be the main culprit.
Gold lumps were discovered on one of the men. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, this amounted to roughly 500 grams of the 3.74-kilogram treasure. An analysis of the lumps, conducted after their discovery last year, revealed that around 70 ancient coins had been melted into the gold lumps. The remaining coins are still missing.
Telecom node disabled with wire cutters
To evade detection, the accused reportedly cut the fiber optic cables at a Telekom network node in Manching using wire cutters and side cutters early on the morning of November 22, 2022, to disable the museum's alarm system. As a consequence, internet and telephone services were disrupted in more than 13,000 households; 14 mobile phone base stations went down.
Following this, the suspected burglars - as per the allegations - waited about an hour to check if an alarm was activated before two of them forced open a side door of the museum using crowbars. The others kept watch outside.
Accused of 30 other burglaries
The Public Prosecutor's Office accuses the accused, in various collaborations, of another 30 major burglaries between 2014 and 2022, including break-ins at supermarkets, licensing offices, fast-food restaurants, and gas stations in Germany and Austria.
The total loot - including the gold treasure - is estimated at around 2.2 million euros. The prosecution authority has requested the seizure of equivalent value in this amount from the perpetrators. Further potential charges from earlier years have expired, a spokesperson said.
After the men's arrest, several properties in Plate near Schwerin were searched. The prosecution's case rests on evidence seized during these searches, including DNA traces, fingerprints, tool marks, information from phone tapping and mobile phone analysis, financial investigations, and witness statements.
Professional Strategy
The accused are reportedly highly proficient, leaving minimal evidence behind, according to the public prosecutor's office. The suspects, armed with crowbars, angle grinders, and other tools, allegedly sabotaged telecommunications distribution cabinets or buildings in Manching and placed jammers to disrupt any radio connections.
They then forced entry into their target locations, sometimes spending several hours to drill open safes and ATMs. Other perpetrators secured the scene and maintained radio communication with those inside. During the crime, they wore dark full-body suits and black balaclavas.
The European Parliament may provide assistance to the Commission in managing this complex case, given its implications and the need for international cooperation. Despite the assistance, the whereabouts of a significant portion of the stolen Celtic gold treasure remain mysterious.
