Experts assess jewellery found 3 years after museum looting in Germany

Expert from the Dresden State Art Collections have begun to assess the jewellery that was stolen from Dresden's Green Vault three years ago and found again earlier last week, reported dpa.

This will take some time, Dresden State Art Collection (SKD) spokesperson Holger Liebs said on Sunday.

According to the police and the public prosecutor's office, 31 individual pieces were returned to Dresden.

After the theft 3 years ago, the SKD had always spoken of 21 stolen pieces. Liebs said that it was now necessary to see whether any pieces of jewellery had been smashed or broken.

He said that the experts' findings could also be significant for the ongoing trial of six suspects. The return of the loot is apparently based on a deal between the defence lawyers, the prosecution and the district court. There had been "exploratory talks," the authorities in the state of Saxony had said.

The burglary in November 2019 was one of the most sensational art thefts in Germany. The perpetrators stole historical jewellery from the Treasury Museum in Dresden's Residence Palace, taking 4,300 diamonds and jewels with a total value of more than €113 million ($119.5 million).

A large part of the loot was seized in Berlin on Friday night and brought back to Dresden.