Two men suspected of planning a break-in at Dresden's Zwinger fled the Baroque palace complex early Tuesday morning after a security guard spotted them in the courtyard. The men entered through the Crown Gate between 6:10 and 6:30 a.m. on October 27, according to Saxony's criminal police and public prosecutor's office. Investigators believe they carried tools intended for a heist. When the security guard approached, they ran back through the gate without entering the museum buildings.
Police suspect the men may have been targeting the porcelain collection, though they have not identified a specific object or confirmed that the men attempted to force their way inside. The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, which oversees the city's state art collections, has increased security at the museum. Authorities are searching for witnesses.
The incident recalls Dresden's November 2019 Green Vault theft, when burglars stole priceless royal jewels in what authorities called one of Europe's most spectacular museum robberies. Five men were later convicted and sentenced to six years in prison for that theft.
The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden also suffered a cyberattack in January, and German media reported that thieves may have been interested in two valuable pieces of Chinese porcelain. Prosecutors say there is no concrete evidence connecting this week's suspected break-in attempt to the cyberattack. According to MDR, authorities had received warnings earlier this year about a possible plot to steal a rare Chinese porcelain bowl and a dragon vase, and some objects were moved for safekeeping. The porcelain collection was already closed for construction work when Tuesday's incident occurred.