A group of thieves broke into the Museum of Villena in Spain around 5:20 a.m. on August 27, entering through a window and fleeing by 5:24 a.m. with most of the Treasure of Villena, a Bronze Age gold hoard dating to around 1000 B.C.E.
A spokesperson for the museum described the theft as "super-fast and super-professional." Fulgencio Cerdán, the mayor of Villena, said thieves made off with most of the treasure and that the theft "destroys Villena's heritage and wealth."
The thieves left behind three silver vessels, one bracelet and parts of a prehistoric ceremonial staff, and dropped one of the museum's historic crowns at the scene.
Officials estimate the gold taken in the heist is worth roughly $2 million, though David Cérdan, a spokesperson for the Villena City Council, said it is impossible to put a price on a 3,000-year-old burial hoard.
The Treasure of Villena includes dozens of gold bracelets and bowls along with artifacts made of silver, iron and amber. It was discovered in 1963 by archaeologist José María Soler after a gold bracelet turned up during construction in the town, and it has served as the centerpiece of Villena's archaeological museum ever since, having also traveled to exhibitions around the world. According to recent research, two iron artifacts within the hoard may be made from meteoritic iron; Deutsche Welle's Mark Hallam has reported they represent the earliest known example of iron use in Western Europe. Gabriel García Atiénzar, a historian at Spain's University of Alicante, has called the treasure one of the most exceptional prehistoric gold assemblages discovered in Europe.
Authorities are examining whether an alarm that sounded at the city's sports center before the break-in was connected to the museum theft.
The raid comes just days after Europol published a report on museum heists across Europe, which noted an increase in violent methods used during break-ins, a focus by criminals on high-value and culturally significant artifacts, and the emergence of criminal groups recruited through social media.