BERLIN (AP) — Many of the defendants standing trial over a spectacular 2019 break-in at Dresden’s Inexperienced Vault museum, through which 18th-century treasures have been stolen, have reached a deal that may get them diminished punishment in alternate for confessions and the return of a lot of the haul, a choose stated Tuesday.

Tuesday’s growth got here after German authorities introduced in mid-December that they’d recovered a big a part of the stolen treasures in Berlin. They stated on the time that the discover was preceded by exploratory talks on a doable settlement that would come with the return of stolen gadgets.

Within the first courtroom session since then, presiding Decide Andreas Ziegel stated that 4 of the six defendants have agreed to the proposed cope with prosecutors and the Dresden state courtroom and plan to make statements when the trial resumes on Jan. 17, German information company dpa reported. A fifth defendant needs to decide earlier than then. The sixth denies involvement, pointing to an alibi.

Ziegel stated the initiative handy again jewellery that’s nonetheless handy got here from the oldest of the defendants, a 29-year-old. Nonetheless, elements of the haul have been lacking and a number of other items incomplete or broken.

The courtroom will wish to see “credible” confessions through which the defendants give concrete particulars of the planning and execution of the heist and their very own contributions, the choose stated. The deal may result in diminished sentences and probably their conditional launch.

The six males went on trial in January, accused of gang theft and arson over the Nov. 25, 2019 heist. The German nationals have been accused of stealing jewellery with a complete insured worth of at the least 113.8 million euros ($122 million).

Officers stated on the time that the gadgets taken included a big diamond brooch and a diamond epaulette. The treasury of Augustus the Robust of Saxony was established in 1723 and comprises round 4,000 objects of gold, valuable stones and different supplies on show in Dresden’s Royal Palace.

Prosecutors have stated that the suspects lit a fireplace simply earlier than the break-in to chop the ability provide for avenue lights exterior the museum, and in addition set hearth to a automobile in a close-by storage earlier than fleeing to Berlin.