Preliminary court proceedings have begun against the mayor of the Spanish town of Villena and the director of the local MUVI museum, both accused of neglect leading to the theft of the Villena Treasure, one of Europe's most important Bronze Age hoards. On August 27, 2026, masked attackers smashed display cases at the Museo de Villena and stole most of the 66-piece Tesoro de Villena, a hoard including around 10 kilograms of gold. A judge has now opened diligencias previas, preliminary proceedings, against the mayor, the museum director, a deputy mayor and the museum's security manager, sending the file to prosecutors for advice on possible dismissal. A municipal investigatory commission will separately examine responsibility and future security measures. The case turns on warnings that went unheeded. A 2024 police inspection described the Muvi as a "beautiful building that is not a museum," listing vulnerabilities including large exterior windows and doors, an uncertified vault door, missing seismic detectors and a control room with no fixed-line or mobile communications. It recommended immediate fixes: vault certification, seismic sensors, extra alarm buttons, a secured recorder enclosure and round-the-clock private security to monitor alarms and cameras. A complaint by the heritage association ADED argues that the 2024 decision to move the treasure from a guarded iron chest in the town hall to open vitrines at the Muvi, replacing constant human night surveillance with mainly electronic protection, created the risk that led to the robbery. The proceedings will test whether municipal officials bear criminal responsibility for the loss. Most of the treasure remains missing, and the case has become a national flashpoint over the stewardship of Spain's archaeological heritage.