- Four individuals face accusations of pilfering Manchinger Celtic treasures in gold.
Two years following the spectacular heist of the Manching Celtic Gold Hoard, the Ingolstadt District Attorney's Office has filed charges against four individuals. These alleged perpetrators, ranging in age from 43 to 51, are believed to have broken into the Celtic Roman Museum in Manching, Upper Bavaria, in November 2022, utilizing heavy burglary tools. Their alleged crime involved the theft of the Celtic gold hoard on display. This information was first reported by the "Augsburger Allgemeine".
The approximately 500 coins, estimated to be worth around 1.5 million euros, have been valued. This collection, discovered in Manching in 1999, was the largest Celtic gold discovery of the past century and a source of immense pride.
To avoid detection, it's claimed that the accused had previously tampered with a Telekom network node in Manching, resulting in internet and telephone disruptions in over 13,000 households, along with the collapse of 14 mobile phone sites.
A portion of the gold coins remains unaccounted for.
Three individuals hail from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while one is from Berlin. All have been in custody since their arrest in July 2023. Evidence uncovered includes gold nuggets on one suspect, which further analysis suggested contained approximately 70 ancient coins. The current whereabouts of the remaining gold coins remain a mystery.
The Ingolstadt District Attorney's Office additionally accuses the accused, in various groupings, of an additional 30 hefty robberies involving valuable goods, between the years 2014 and 2022.
The District Attorney's Office is seeking justice for the heist, as they believe the gold hoard was stolen due to greed. The missing coins and the value they represent are a significant loss to the Celtic Roman Museum and the community.
