Thieves steal Nazi artefacts worth $2.5 million from Dutch museums

The heists have occurred in recent months, according to a spokeswoman for the museums.

In August, thieves used several vehicles to ram the doors of the Eyewitness War Museum in Beek, and took several valuable items.

In October, thieves stole nearly the entire collection at the Ossendrecht museum in the country's south.

SS uniforms, daggers, helmets, emblems, caps, parachutes, firearms and binoculars were among the items taken.

The attacks appeared to be well planned, according to Janneke Kennis, who works at a similar museum in the village of Overloon, the scene of heavy fighting between German and Allied forces in 1944.

'We don't think they were stolen to sell openly online, because the weapons are numbered and are so unique and rare that they would immediately be recognised," Ms Kennis said.

'They probably scouted the museums to see what they needed, made a list and carried it out very professionally."

The attacks have prompted the Overloon museum to return several items to their owners, for fear of another raid.

One of the items the museum has returned is a one-of-a-kind list of 1,500 victims of the Auschwitz death camp.