After theft in the Green Vault: jewel thieves of Dresden sentenced to prison

Two forensics employees are standing in front of the Royal Palace with the Green Vault. © Sebastian Kahnert/dpa

The Dresden Regional Court has convicted five young men of stealing jewels from the Green Vault.

Berlin/Dresden – At the end of November 2019, art objects and 21 pieces of jewellery with a total of 4,300 diamonds with an insured value of at least 113.8 million euros were stolen from the Historic Green Vault of the Dresden Residential Palace. Now the Dresden Regional Court has sentenced five young men.

On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, three and a half years after the jewel theft, the judges handed down prison sentences ranging from four years and four months to six years and three months. The five men were found guilty of particularly aggravated arson in combination with dangerous bodily harm, theft with weapons, damage to property and intentional arson.

The Jewel Room in the Historic Green Vault in the Dresden Castle of the Dresden State Art Collections Dresden (SKD). © Sebastian Kahnert/dpa/Archivbild

Jewel thieves steal jewelry worth 116 million euros – now sentenced to long prison terms

The sentence would be based on a "deal". A 25-year-old had an alibi and was therefore acquitted. For three of the men, now 26, 27 and 29 years old, the Trial Chamber imposed prison sentences of six years and three months, five years and ten months, and six years and two months. One of the twin brothers was sentenced to four years and four months in juvenile detention.

The four accused have to pay for the damage to the lock and the showcase. In addition, the judges would see the other 24-year-old as an accomplice. Including a previous conviction, he received six years in juvenile detention.

The art theft from Saxony's famous Treasury Museum on 25 November 2019 is considered one of the most spectacular in Germany. In total, the perpetrators were able to capture 21 pieces of jewelry made of diamonds and diamonds with a total value of 116.8 million euros. They also caused over a million euros in damage when they set fire to a power distribution box in the old town and a getaway car in the underground car park of a residential building in order to cover tracks (han/dpa)