Essex: Men Held Over Historic Weapon Theft

19 March 2014, 09:22 | Updated: 19 March 2014, 09:24

A man has been arrested on suspicion of stealing historic armour and weapons from a museum and castle in Essex.

Essex Police launched an investigation after two alleged burglaries at Maldon Combined Services Museum and Stansted Mountfitchet Castle.

Two replica English Civil War helmets, a chain mail hood and a Napoleonic axe dating from 1709 were taken from the Maldon museum on Thursday.

On Saturday night the armoury at the castle was burgled and a chain mail shirt, steel riveted coif, two Norman two-handed swords, a mace, a double-handed Norman axe, a jousting helmet, two Saxon metal helmets, a Norman longbow and 10 arrows were stolen.

A 32-year-old man, from the village of Takeley, has been arrested on suspicion of theft and is currently being questioned, the force said.