Ancient gold treasures stolen from museum in "super-fast" raid
The treasure was discovered in 1963 by archaeologist Jose Maria Soler in a vessel sunk in a dried-out riverbed in Villena.
At around 5:20 a.m. on Thursday, thieves swiftly broke into the Treasure of Villena, a significant collection of Bronze Age gold objects in Villena, Spain. By 5:24 a.m., the alarm had sounded and the perpetrators had departed. Mayor Fulgencio Cerdan described the heist as super-fast and super-professional, expressing devastation over the loss of the priceless artifacts.
The stolen items included 29 bracelets, 11 bowls, three bottles, and miscellaneous pieces, all dating back to approximately 1,000 BC. While the total value of the gold alone is estimated at $2 million, the historical significance of the treasure surpasses monetary worth. According to the Spanish government's deputy representative in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, the thieves entered the museum through a window, using multiple vehicles.
Security measures were activated as per standard protocol, with no reported failures attributed to the museum. The incident follows other high-profile museum break-ins in Europe, including a recent daylight robbery at the Louvre in Paris where $102 million worth of jewelry was stolen in under eight minutes.
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