Thieves stole most of the Treasure of Villena, a major Bronze Age collection, from a museum in the Spanish town in a raid lasting about four minutes. The loss is significant because the objects are an irreplaceable part of Villena’s archaeological heritage, with historical value far beyond their material worth.

The collection includes 29 bracelets, 11 bowls and three bottles, mainly made of gold, alongside silver, iron and amber pieces dating to around 1000BC. Discovered in 1963, its gold alone is estimated to be worth €1.7m; police are examining whether an alarm at a nearby sports centre was used as a diversion, amid a recent series of European museum raids.