Thieves Steal 59 Villena Treasure Pieces in 4 Minutes After False Alarm Diversion
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Aug 27
Thieves Steal 59 Villena Treasure Pieces in 4 Minutes After False Alarm Diversion
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Aug 27
Summary
A coordinated gang stole 59 prehistoric Villena Treasure pieces and three religious crowns from Alicante's Villena Museum between 5:20 a.m. and 5:24 a.m., leaving only a handful of items behind.
At 5:16 a.m., a false alarm at Villena's municipal sports centre drew police away; when museum alarms sounded four minutes later, intruders broke in through side windows after failing at the main door.
Investigators from the Civil Guard and local police say the operation appears professional and carefully planned, with the stolen material alone potentially worth more than 1.5 million euros.
Discovered in 1963 by archaeologist José María Soler, the Late Bronze Age hoard weighs nearly 10 kilos and is regarded as one of Europe's most important prehistoric goldwork collections.