Spanish Museum Loses Ancient Gold Collection in Theft

(MENAFN) A valuable Bronze Age collection disappears from a museum in southeastern Spain after thieves
break into the Villena Museum in Alicante province early Thursday, according to reports.

The stolen items make up the complete original Treasure of Villena collection, consisting of 66
archaeological pieces dating back roughly 3,000 years. The collection weighs about 10 kilograms
and includes bowls, bracelets and decorative objects crafted from gold, silver, amber and iron.

Police and Spain’s Civil Guard secure the museum as investigators work to determine how the
robbery was carried out. Authorities have not yet released an official account of the incident.

According to reports, the perpetrators gain access to the building by removing a window on one
side of the museum before taking the artifacts.

The theft is considered particularly serious because the missing objects are the authentic
archaeological pieces rather than replicas. The city had previously displayed reproductions of the
treasure for years before transferring the original collection to its current museum, which opened
two years ago.

Investigators are also examining whether a separate security incident shortly before the robbery
may have been connected to the theft. A false alarm was reportedly triggered at a municipal

sports facility elsewhere in Villena only minutes before the museum was targeted, potentially
diverting security personnel.

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