- Unlawful Acquisition of Kelt Gold Suspects: Three Individuals from MV Faced Charges
It's claimed that the criminals managed to swipe the almost 4-kg Celtic gold fortune from Manching, housed in two display cases, within a mere ten minutes. Now, these alleged culprits are facing trial. This comes nearly two years after the high-profile theft at the Celtic Roman Museum in Upper Bavaria, with the Ingolstadt Public Prosecutor's Office charging four males aged between 43 and 51. Three of them hail from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, with one serving as the supposed mastermind.
According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, they were implicated in breaking into the museum in November 2022, using heavy-duty cutting tools, and making off with the showcased Celtic gold relics. This information was initially reported by "Augsburger Allgemeine".
The bulk of the Celtic treasure remains unaccounted for
The estimated worth of the 500 pilfered coins is roughly 1.5 million euros. This Celtic coin collection, unearthed in Manching in 1999, was considered the century's largest Celtic gold find and was the museum's prized possession. As of now, the majority of this nearly 2100-year-old treasure is still nowhere to be found. It appears that numerous valuable and historically significant coins have been reduced to molten metal. The four men involved have yet to respond to the charges, as per the Public Prosecutor's Office.
The indictment has not yet been admitted for main trial. A spokesperson for Ingolstadt Regional Court revealed that a trial date has not been set yet. This case has been assigned to the first criminal chamber under Judge Konrad Kliegl's supervision, who is also the vice-president of the regional court and currently handling another homicide trial. It was earlier reported that the trial might commence on January 21, 2025, according to "Augsburger Allgemeine".
Historically important coins melted down
The suspects were apprehended in July 2023 and have been in custody since then. A 47-year-old resident from Schwerin is identified as the primary perpetrator.
Gold fragments were recovered from one of the men. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, these gold fragments amounted to approximately 500 grams of the 3.74-kg treasure. An analysis of these fragments revealed that around 70 ancient coins had been melted into them. The remaining coins are still missing.
To avoid detection, the suspects are alleged to have severed the optical fiber cables at a Telekom network node in Manching using wire cutters and side cutters to cripple the museum's alarm system. Consequently, internet and telephony connections were briefly disrupted in over 13,000 households, while 14 mobile phone towers went offline.
Following this, the suspects - as per the allegations - waited around an hour to see if an alarm was triggered before two of them broke open a side door of the museum with crowbars. The other two ensured the security outside.
Charges: 30 additional heists
The Public Prosecutor's Office accuses the suspects of committing another 30 serious robberies, including break-ins at supermarkets, licensing offices, fast-food restaurants, and gas stations in Germany and Austria, between 2014 and 2022.
The cumulative loot - including the gold treasure - is estimated at around 2.2 million euros. The prosecution authority has requested seizure of such assets from the perpetrators. Offenses from prior years are considered statute-barred, a spokesperson confirmed.
Following the men's arrest, several properties in Plate near Schwerin were searched. The charges are based on evidence collected during these searches, including DNA traces, fingerprints, toolmarks, information from phone tapping and cellphone analysis, financial investigations, and witness testimonies.
Professional Methodology
The alleged culprits operated with great precision, leaving minimal evidence, according to the prosecution. The accused, armed with crowbars, angle grinders, and other tools, are said to have tampered with telecommunications distribution cabinets or buildings in Manching, and installed jammers to hinder any radio connections.
They then forcefully gained entry into the target location and drilled - sometimes for hours - into safes and ATMs. Other culprits secured the scene while maintaining radio contact with those inside. During the crime, they donned dark full-body suits and black balaclavas.
The Celtic gold fortune was stolen from the Celtic Roman Museum in Upper Bavaria, specifically in Manching. Despite the arrest and charges against four men, a significant portion of the nearly 2100-year-old treasure remains missing in Bavaria.
