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Police confirm: Sweden’s stolen crown jewels have been found

Royal jewels found in a rubbish bin in a Stockholm suburb last week have been confirmed as being those that were stolen from Strängnäs Cathedral last year, police said on Monday.

Police confirm: Sweden's stolen crown jewels have been found
The royal jewels were found in a rubbish bin north of Stockholm. Photo: Police/TT

The search for both the culprits and the jewels gained international attention last summer after the 17th-century royal crowns were taken from the cathedral in Strängnäs, one hour from Stockholm, with the suspects then seen fleeing the scene on women's bicycles and a motorboat.

The 17th-century crowns and orb were thought to be gone forever, when a security guard in Åkersberga, north of Stockholm, stumbled upon them in the early hours of Tuesday.

They were found in a rubbish bin marked 'bomb', which was lying on top of a car, and were immediately sent to be examined by a police forensic team and Swedish Church experts.

Police have now confirmed that the jewels are indeed the two crowns and royal orb and cross that were stolen from the cathedral last summer. 

News on the condition of the jewels, which were  made for the burial of King Charles IX and his wife Christina and date back to the early 1600s, is expected to be announced later this week.

Three young men are currently being held in connection with the brazen heist.

A 22-year-old man is on trial, and another two men in their 20s are in police custody. One of them is suspected of involvement in the theft and another is suspected of handling stolen goods.


Police and the 22-year-old suspect in Strängnäs Cathedral last month. Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT

Prosecutor Reena Devgun told Swedish news agency TT that the third man was linked to the part of the investigation looking specifically at how the jewels ended up in the rubbish bin in Åkersberga.

The 22-year-old on trial has admitted to supplying the getaway vehicles used by the thieves, but denies being otherwise involved in the theft, which took place in broad daylight.

It's not the first royal heist in the area around Lake Mälaren. In 2013, a crown and sceptre used in the funeral of Sweden's King Johan III were stolen from nearby Västerås. They subsequently turned up in two large rubbish bags at the side of a highway following a tip-off to police. 

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