ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

German police search property for stolen Celtic gold hoard

cultural-heritage · 2026-05-04

Over three years have passed since the Celtic gold treasure was stolen from the Kelten Römer Museum in Manching, Bavaria, and authorities are still on the hunt for the missing assets. The Bavarian State Criminal Police Office suspects that the gold is concealed on the property of the primary suspect and his accomplice in Plate, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The heist occurred in November 2022, and in July 2025, four individuals were apprehended and sentenced by the Ingolstadt Regional Court. So far, only a fraction of the gold coins has been retrieved. Utilizing X-ray and radar technology, investigators believe that a significant portion of the treasure, including 411 gold coins and a gold cast cake, is stashed away for future sale. The main suspect is currently in pre-trial detention in Munich.

Key facts

  • Gold treasure stolen in November 2022 from Kelten Römer Museum in Manching, Bavaria.
  • Four perpetrators sentenced in July 2025 at Ingolstadt Regional Court.
  • Main suspect and his partner's property in Plate, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, is being searched.
  • Missing items: 411 gold coins and a gold cast cake, about 3 kg of gold.
  • X-ray and radar technology used in the search.
  • Main suspect's partner investigated for money laundering.
  • Main suspect in pre-trial detention in Munich; verdict not final.
  • International task force against illegal trade in cultural goods involved.

Entities

Institutions

  • Bavarian State Criminal Police Office
  • Kelten Römer Museum
  • Ingolstadt Regional Court
  • Federal Criminal Police Office
  • Bundeskriminalamt

Locations

  • Manching
  • Bavaria
  • Plate
  • Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
  • Munich
  • Ingolstadt
  • Germany

Sources