Dresden Green Vault Museum Robbers Convicted

patrick_y · 2023-05-17T21:45:12Z

Explore the aftermath of the 2019 Dresden Green Vault Museum heist. Patrick_y and WatchProSite members discuss the controversial sentences, recovery efforts, and impact on priceless jewels.

patrick_y

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

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Patrick_y, a long-time WatchProSite contributor, revisits the shocking 2019 Green Vault Museum heist in Dresden, an event that resonated deeply with many members who had visited the museum during their horological pilgrimages to Glashütte. His original post not only recounted the details of the audacious robbery but also critically examined the subsequent legal proceedings and the controversial sentencing of the perpetrators. This article synthesizes the community's reactions and expert opinions on the recovery efforts and the broader implications for cultural heritage.

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You may recall many years ago, back in 2019, I sadly reported that a museum beloved by many WatchProSite readers, was brutally looted.

The sad event took place in November 2019 at the Green Vault Museum in Dresden, a museum that has been visited by many WatchProSite members - when they went to visit Glashutte Original and/or A. Lange & Soehne factories in Glashutte, a small town nearby Dresden.

Several robbers brutally coordinated their assault of the museum at night. First starting two diversionary fires; one to a car in an underground car park and another to sabotage electrical equipment; this resulted in a power outage for the entire block, including the museum and other properties/structures. Then, two or three of the robbers entered the museum itself. They then stole about two dozen pieces from the museum itself, most of them priceless jewels that were the Crown Jewels of Saxony. Total insured value of the pieces is estimated around $130 million US dollars.

This sad occurrence met a dissatisfying conclusion yesterday. Five of the alleged thieves that were caught, received their sentences, some will be out of prison in about 4 years, some just over 6 years.

So... Where are the jewels? Surely the thieves got a deal where the prosecutor traded light sentences for the return of the jewels, right? Well, unfortunately, a very small amount of jewels were recovered. Some of the largest and most special pieces are believed to be lost forever. Of the pieces recovered, many are missing stones (the stones were pried out or fell out during the rough handling resulting from the robbery), and several were damaged.

The only good news: One of the pieces that captured my eye during one of my visits to Dresden was the priceless green diamond - probably the largest yellow-green diamond in the world. If not the largest, certainly the most famous, with a Royal pedigree. Thankfully, the Dresden Green Diamond was on loan in the USA during the time of the robbery.

Many German citizens are very dissatisfied that the sentences were so light; many questioned the prosecutor's negotiation ability - why would the prosecutor agree to such light sentences considering so little was recovered? The thieves were young during the robbery, today they're in their mid 20s, but some were in their late teens during the robbery which was three and a half years ago. Youth was definitely a factor, as Germany's youth laws do prescribe lighter sentences. One of the men was acquitted. Out of the approximately 100 pieces missing, only 30-31 pieces were recovered; mostly smaller and less valuable pieces. The majority of the pieces and the vast majority of the value are still missing. Some Germans are stating this sets a bad precedent - make a big robbery, give some of it back for a lighter sentence, serve a short prison time, and upon release from prison enjoy the proceeds.

The thieves are believed to be part of the REMMO Clan of thieves, an organized criminal group of primarily Arabic men based primarily in Berlin. After the robbery, the thieves fled to Berlin in an Audi A6 vehicle, which they later torched as well. Berlin is about a 2-3 hour drive North of Dresden. The names are Rabiah Remmo, Bashir Remmo, Wassam Remmo, and two members whom were underage during the time of the theft had their names withheld - to facilitate their rehabilitation.

I know this is sad news to many of our members that only a portion of the collection was recovered. We can only hope that in the future museums will be very careful with their security procedures. The Museum in this case was blamed for the robbery, citing that a window was not secured, and a laser net near the window was not operating properly - this would've likely reduced the time that the thieves had. The museum's security guards were also criticized for failing to react quickly enough to the robbery.

This is one of the most significant museum robberies in Europe's history and - depending how one measures it - probably the second or third largest robbery (measured by monetary value) of any museum, the biggest robbery being the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum robbery in 1990 - in Boston. In that robbery, the value of the works stolen is in the realm of around $500 million US dollars.

For art lovers, jewel lovers, Germans, Saxons, and all law-abiding citizens of the world, it is very sad that it is unlikely that the vast majority of the remaining pieces will ever be recovered.

News Coverage from Deutsche Welle.

CCTV of the heist. From Bloomberg.

Photos of the stolen pieces. From Bloomberg.

Key Points from the Discussion

The number of recovered pieces and their condition is a point of contention, with initial reports suggesting a small recovery, while later information from a German defense attorney indicated a majority of pieces were recovered, albeit some damaged or incomplete.
Sentences for such a high-value robbery, especially considering additional charges like arson, are perceived as notably lighter in Germany compared to potential penalties in the USA, even for young offenders.
The perceived leniency of the sentences has sparked debate among the German public and WatchProSite members regarding the effectiveness of the justice system in deterring organized crime and protecting cultural assets.
The personal impact of the robbery is significant for collectors and enthusiasts who had previously visited the Green Vault, as many priceless jewels they once admired are now either missing or permanently altered.

The Discussion

Gwai

May 18, 2023

that the "majority" of the stolen pieces have been recovered. From what I have read so far, it seems difficult to come to a conclusion for oneself as the numbers of individual pieces don't seem to correspond. Also, I don't know if "many Germans" find the sentences imposed too light - news outlets headline "harsh sentences", for that matter - or what it would mean if many actually did. (That last bit is my defense attorney self speaking.) Just my two bits anyway. Cheers Marc

LiftAngle51

May 18, 2023

Low sentences is in any way a throwback for civilization. We build up a society to protect what is dear to us all. We do not want a police state, so it is poor that not everybody can deal with freedom. Keep eyes open and protect what is to our hearts. We have a way to go to save up a save world.

patrick_y

May 18, 2023

Great to have a defense attorney in Germany among us sharing his opinion! Thank you Gwai! Statistically, in USA, a sentence of 4-6 years for a $100million robbery, would be considered a bit low, especially considering the three arsons enhancement. Even low for someone of such a young age. Then again, USA really has a significant robbery/property crime problem (although it's rarely as organized as this). A lot of these violent crime are due to poverty, drugs and alcohol, and other problems that d

patrick_y

May 18, 2023

I was hoping to show my family members the Green Vault someday, it's too bad they won't be able to see it in the same way I got to see it.

patrick_y

May 18, 2023

As a joke: when one day I commit a crime (not that I would ever do such a thing), I hope to have a very light judgment!

Gwai

May 19, 2023

"three of the pieces of jewelry are still missing, others are incomplete and have been damaged by careless storage or the removal of individual parts" (my translation). The majority, that much can safely be assumed, has indeed been recovered. Of course, anything still missing and everything damaged is unfortunate. Cheers Marc

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Dresden Green Vault Museum Robbers Convicted

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