Police believe they have found some of Sweden’s stolen crown jewels on top of a trash can in a Stockholm suburb.
Authorities said that “every indication” suggested that they had located the relics snatched last summer in a Hollywood-style heist involving a speedboat.
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Two 17th-century crowns originally belonging to King Karl IX and Queen Kristina, as well as a royal orb were taken in the July raid on Strängnäs Cathedral, located west of Stockholm.
The stolen items are made of gold, precious stones and pearls and had been locked away in displays with alarms. The theft happened just before noon on a weekday when the cathedral was open to visitors.
The culprits are believed to have escaped using a vast network of nearby lakes.
Swedish police confirmed Tuesday that a security guard had found what they believed to be the stolen crown jewels in the northern suburb of Åkersberga.
“Every indication now suggests that Karl IX's stolen funeral regalia has been found in the Stockholm area, but the police are working intensively to have it confirmed 100 percent,” they said in a statement.
They declined to give further information regarding their efforts to authenticate the items but a spokesman said they are "most likely" the missing crown jewels. However, it was unclear if both crowns and the orb were among the items found on the trash can.
One man is already on trial in connection with the theft.
Last year, jewels belonging to Qatar’s royal family were also stolen from an exhibition in Venice. The haul was also believed to be worth several million dollars.
