Anonymous patron of the arts offers 1.3 million for return of Green Vault art treasures

Record ID: 1449327

  • Title: Anonymous patron of the arts offers 1.3 million for return of Green Vault art treasures
  • Date: 19th December 2019
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (DECEMBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (German) BERLIN POLICE UNION SPOKESMAN, BENJAMIN JENDRO, SAYING: "What we don't like so much is that the man in the video made clear 'we are not interested in a prosecution, we want the objects returned.' Of course, he is saying this on purpose because some people may be deterred otherwise but in the past, such cases were often discussed in some back room where it was said 'okay, we're paying such and such a sum and in return, you can get back the objects intact.' Museums of course have an interest in having objects returned."
  • Embargoed: 2nd January 2020 13:49
  • Keywords: 1.3 million euros dresden jewellery green vault museum police reward robbery
  • Location: DRESDEN & BAD SCHWARTAU & BERLIN, GERMANY
  • City: DRESDEN & BAD SCHWARTAU & BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Crime
  • Reuters ID: LVA006BAN4HFR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:An anonymous patron of the arts has offered 1.3 million euros for the return of Dresden's Green Vault 18th century jewellery stolen on Nov. 25 in one of Germany's biggest heists.
    In a video message released by a private investigator acting as a middleman for the unidentified person, stacks of euro notes are piled on a table.
    In the German-language video with an English translation inserted, a man who gives his name as Josef Resch says that the patron's only interest is to recover the jewellery.
    "We are not interested in a prosecution, we want the objects returned," Resch tells viewers, adding the reward is "guaranteed" if the art treasures are returned intact.
    Benjamin Jendro, spokesman for Berlin's branch of German police union GdP, said that while the offered reward might be of help to recover the stolen jewellery, it could encourage illegal deals in "back rooms."
    "Our priority is the prosecution of the perpetrators," said Jendro.
    Most experts say the cultural value of the haul, which included three sets of 18th century jewellery, is greater than its market value. They fear it will be broken up and sold in smaller pieces.
    (Production: Holger Koerner, Michele Sani)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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