THE ARCHIVE BY COUNTRY
Published reports from our archive, newest first.
A country may refer to the theft, recovery, return or legal proceedings. A case can be linked to more than one country.
4 reports
Romanian police handed over ten paintings recovered in a joint investigation with Italy’s Carabinieri. The works, dated between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries and attributed to Italian painters, were taken from a private home in Bassano del Grappa in August 2024. Image of a recovered canvas published by Italia Nostra.
Dutch prosecutors announced the return of the Coțofenești Helmet and two of three Dacian gold bracelets stolen from the Drents Museum in January 2025. The third bracelet remained missing at publication. Three suspects’ trial was due to begin on 14 April 2026.
Romania secured a hold on Saint Sebastian after it was withdrawn from a New York sale. The state alleges it was removed from the national collection in 1947 by King Michael I. The consignment was traced to Accent Delight in court documents. Image shows the contested El Greco painting, via court filings.
Austrian police announced the recovery of nine works by Hermann Nitsch. Two had been seized in Vienna in 2021 and seven were located during searches in Germany and Romania in November 2022. Investigators said three other paintings were still missing when they announced the results. Photo of recovered work: Lower Austrian police via ORF.
