Latest news with #defendants
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Al Arabiya
Three men convicted in the theft of ancient Celtic gold coins from a German museum
Three men were convicted Tuesday in the theft of hundreds of ancient gold coins from a German museum in 2022 and handed prison sentences ranging up to 11 years. A court in the southern city of Ingolstadt convicted the defendants of gang robbery over the museum heist, German news agency dpa reported. A fourth defendant was acquitted of involvement in the museum heist but convicted for other thefts carried out by the group. The suspects from northern Germany were arrested months after a Nov. 22, 2022, break-in at the Celtic and Roman Museum in the Bavarian town of Manching in which 483 Celtic coins discovered during a 1999 archaeological dig were stolen. The coins dated to around 100 B.C. The coins and a lump of unworked gold were originally discovered during excavations of an ancient settlement in Manching, and authorities have said they are considered the biggest trove of Celtic gold found in the 20th century. Most of the stolen treasure is still missing, but investigators found lumps of gold on one of the suspects when he was arrested that appear to have resulted from part of the treasure being melted down. Investigators have said that cables were cut at a telecommunications hub, knocking out local networks before the heist, and that the thieves got in and out of the museum in nine minutes during the night without triggering an alarm. The four defendants were accused of a total of 20 break-ins or attempted robberies in Germany and neighboring Austria starting in 2014. Other cases involved safes or cash machines being broken into. The defendants didn't address the charges during the roughly six-month trial, but their lawyers called for their acquittal. The court sentenced them to prison terms ranging from four years and nine months to 11 years.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
3 men convicted in the theft of ancient Celtic gold coins from a German museum
Three men were convicted Tuesday in the theft of hundreds of ancient gold coins from a German museum in 2022 and handed prison sentences ranging up to 11 years. A court in the southern city of Ingolstadt convicted the defendants of gang robbery over the museum heist, German news agency dpa reported. A fourth defendant was acquitted of involvement in the museum heist but convicted for other thefts carried out by the group. The suspects from northern Germany were arrested months after a Nov. 22, 2022 break-in at the Celtic and Roman Museum in the Bavarian town of Manching, in which 483 Celtic coins discovered during an 1999 archaeological dig were stolen. The coins dated to around 100 B.C. The coins and a lump of unworked gold were originally discovered during excavations of an ancient settlement in Manching, and authorities have said they are considered the biggest trove of Celtic gold found in the 20th century. Most of the stolen treasure is still missing, but investigators found lumps of gold on one of the suspects when he was arrested that appear to have resulted from part of the treasure being melted down. Investigators have said that cables were cut at a telecommunications hub, knocking out local networks, before the heist, and that the thieves got in and out of the museum in nine minutes during the night without triggering an alarm. The four defendants were accused of a total of 20 break-ins or attempted robberies in Germany and neighboring Austria, starting in 2014. Other cases involved safes or cash machines being broken into. The defendants didn't address the charges during the roughly six-month trial, but their lawyers called for their acquittal. The court sentenced them to prison terms ranging from four years and nine months to 11 years.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Associated Press
3 men convicted in the theft of ancient Celtic gold coins from a German museum
BERLIN (AP) — Three men were convicted Tuesday in the theft of hundreds of ancient gold coins from a German museum in 2022 and handed prison sentences ranging up to 11 years. A court in the southern city of Ingolstadt convicted the defendants of gang robbery over the museum heist, German news agency dpa reported. A fourth defendant was acquitted of involvement in the museum heist but convicted for other thefts carried out by the group. The suspects from northern Germany were arrested months after a Nov. 22, 2022 break-in at the Celtic and Roman Museum in the Bavarian town of Manching, in which 483 Celtic coins discovered during an 1999 archaeological dig were stolen. The coins dated to around 100 B.C. The coins and a lump of unworked gold were originally discovered during excavations of an ancient settlement in Manching, and authorities have said they are considered the biggest trove of Celtic gold found in the 20th century. Most of the stolen treasure is still missing, but investigators found lumps of gold on one of the suspects when he was arrested that appear to have resulted from part of the treasure being melted down. Investigators have said that cables were cut at a telecommunications hub, knocking out local networks, before the heist, and that the thieves got in and out of the museum in nine minutes during the night without triggering an alarm. The four defendants were accused of a total of 20 break-ins or attempted robberies in Germany and neighboring Austria, starting in 2014. Other cases involved safes or cash machines being broken into. The defendants didn't address the charges during the roughly six-month trial, but their lawyers called for their acquittal. The court sentenced them to prison terms ranging from four years and nine months to 11 years.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Washington Post
3 men convicted in the theft of ancient Celtic gold coins from a German museum
BERLIN — Three men were convicted Tuesday in the theft of hundreds of ancient gold coins from a German museum in 2022 and handed prison sentences ranging up to 11 years. A court in the southern city of Ingolstadt convicted the defendants of gang robbery over the museum heist, German news agency dpa reported. A fourth defendant was acquitted of involvement in the museum heist but convicted for other thefts carried out by the group.
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: 9 jailed for posing as detectives, stealing Dh400,000 in Ajman fake currency exchange deal
Nine men have been sentenced to three years in prison after posing as criminal investigators and stealing more than Dh400,000 from a man during a fake currency exchange in Ajman. The Ajman Federal Primary Court also ordered the defendants to repay the stolen amount and ruled that seven of them be deported after serving their sentences. The elaborate robbery unfolded when the victim arranged to exchange over Dh400,000 for US dollars through a group claiming to offer a better rate. At the agreed location, three men, all Arab nationals, approached him and his companions, falsely identifying themselves as officers from the criminal investigations department. According to court records, the suspects ordered the group out of their vehicle and forced them to stand against a wall. While one of the men collected their ID cards and mobile phones, another pretended to speak with the authorities. During the distraction, a third suspect opened the car and took off with a bag containing the cash. The gang fled the scene in a getaway car, prompting the victim to report the incident immediately. Ajman Police launched a swift investigation, and within days, officers tracked down the suspects and recovered most of the stolen money, except for Dh63,000. During interrogations, one of the suspects, identified as the fifth defendant, confessed to planning the crime with the others. Four more gang members admitted their roles, while the remaining suspects denied involvement and challenged the legality of their arrest and search. The court dismissed those claims, stating the evidence was overwhelming. The ruling was based on direct confessions, credible witness statements, and the victim's identification of several defendants during a virtual police lineup. The judge described the act as a premeditated and organised crime, stressing that the defendants intentionally misled the victim by abusing the identity of law enforcement to carry out the theft. The case highlights the dangers of unregulated money exchanges and the importance of verifying identities, especially when large sums are involved.
