The investigation into the roles of the suspects in the art theft from the Drents Museum has been completed.

The final report has been delivered to the Public Prosecution Service. Although this investigation is complete, the police remain vigilant for leads regarding the location of the stolen goods. The JIT also remains in place. The prosecutor considers the continuation of the pre-trial detention for the three suspects necessary.

In addition to an abundance of evidence for the facts they are suspected of, the prosecutor has indicated that new evidence has emerged. DNA material from the 20-year-old suspect has been found on a crowbar that was discovered in the exhibition space of the Drents Museum after the crime. Furthermore, tapped conversations and other recorded discussions during the undercover operation have been analyzed. Among other things, statements have been heard from the 20-year-old suspect that they committed the crime as a team, and that the stolen goods are still present.
Finally, the NFI has concluded that micro-traces found in a sports bag discovered in a container on Pelikaanstraat visually resemble gold and that these particles primarily consist of gold. This finding confirms the scenario that the sports bag purchased on January 21 was used during the crime and that the stolen art treasures were temporarily transported in that sports bag. It was previously known that this sports bag was left behind in the container shortly after the crime, along with clothing containing DNA material from the other two suspects, and with glass traces that are extremely likely to have originated from the entrance door and display cases of the museum.

In the coming weeks, the Public Prosecution Service will assess the final report. It is expected that the Public Prosecution Service will be able to present a definitive charge at the beginning of September. A decision on prosecution will also follow in the cases of the four previously arrested co-suspects.

The next hearing on October 16 has been designated as a management hearing. The three suspects remain in pre-trial detention.