A defendant arrives in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023.
A defendant arrives in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023. Sebastian Kahnert/Pool via REUTERS
Germany

Green Vault jewel heist: Five Germans get prison time

A German court sentenced five men to several years behind bars for involvement in a jewel heist at a museum in Dresden.

DRESDEN, Germany (Reuters) - A German court on Tuesday sentenced five men to several years behind bars for their involvement in a jewel heist in 2019 at a museum in Dresden which houses one of Europe's greatest art collections.

The pieces stolen from the break-in at the Gruenes Gewoelbe (Green Vault) museum in Dresden contained more than 4,300 diamonds with an estimated value of more than 113 million euros.

A defendant arrives in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023.
A defendant arrives in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023. Sebastian Kahnert/Pool via REUTERS

They included a breast star of the Polish Order of the White Eagle and an ornate diamond head-dress. However, police have said most of the stolen jewels have been recovered.

A defendant arrives in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023.
A defendant arrives in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023. Sebastian Kahnert/Pool via REUTERS

Six German men, all in their 20s, had been charged with aggravated gang theft and serious arson.

A defendant arrives in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023.
A defendant arrives in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023. Sebastian Kahnert/Pool via REUTERS

Five members of the same family were handed sentences of between four years and four months and six years and two months. A sixth family member was acquitted.

A defendant hides his face in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023.
A defendant hides his face in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023. Sebastian Kahnert/Pool via REUTERS

Prosecutors said the men had sawn through part of a window grating in advance and re-attached it to get into the building as quickly as possible during the heist.

Defendants sit next to their lawyers in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023.
Defendants sit next to their lawyers in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023. Sebastian Kahnert/Pool via REUTERS

The stolen Dresden collection was assembled in the 18th century by Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and later King of Poland, who commissioned ever more brilliant jewellery as part of his rivalry with France's King Louis XIV.

Defendants sit next to their lawyers in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023.
Defendants sit next to their lawyers in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court before the verdict over a jewellery heist on the Green Vault museum in Dresden's Royal Palace, in Dresden, Germany on May 16, 2023. Sebastian Kahnert/Pool via REUTERS

The treasures survived Allied bombing raids in World War Two, only to be carted off as war booty by the Soviet Union. They were returned to Dresden, the historic capital of the state of Saxony, in 1958.

(Reporting by Reuters Television; Writing by Madeline Chambers and Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Rachel More, William Maclean)

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