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3,000-year-old treasure stolen in four minutes in Spain

Posted on Aug, 30, 2026
Contributed to WCHV by Sahar

A collection of nearly 3,000-year-old gold artifacts was stolen from a museum in Spain’s city of Villena early Thursday, with the thieves reportedly taking most of the historic treasure in just four minutes.

The robbery targeted the ‘Treasure of Villena’, one of Europe’s most significant Bronze Age gold collections. The collection contains more than 50 artifacts, including 29 bracelets, 11 bowls and three bottles, along with other archaeological objects.

A Villena city council spokesperson said the museum’s alarm was triggered at around 5:20 a.m., and the thieves left the building just four minutes later, at 5:24 a.m.

The operation was very quick and professional,” the spokesperson said.

Villena Mayor Fulgencio Cerdán said the thieves had taken “most of the collection.”

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