Police are hunting for a metal detectorist who failed to appear in court over his role in one of Britain’s most significant heritage crimes. George Powell, convicted of stealing a £3 million Viking hoard, is wanted after skipping his sentencing for failing to repay £600,000 of ill-gotten gains.

Powell, from Newport, and his accomplice Layton Davies discovered approximately 300 Anglo-Saxon coins and Viking jewelry in a Herefordshire field in 2015. Instead of declaring the treasure as required by law, the pair sold the artifacts to dealers, triggering a criminal investigation that would eventually reshape our understanding of early English history.

The recovered items included a remarkable double-headed coin showing both Alfred the Great and Ceolwulf II, revealing a previously unknown alliance between the rulers of Wessex and Mercia. The hoard also contained a 9th-century gold ring, a crystal rock pendant, and a dragon’s head bracelet.

Davies is currently serving an additional five years and three months in prison for failing to repay his share of the money. However, Powell, who was originally sentenced to 10 years (later reduced to six and a half), has now disappeared before his court appearance for refusing to pay the £600,000 confiscation order.

Experts believe the pair are still concealing approximately 270 coins, with only 31 of the estimated 300 pieces recovered. Two additional men were jailed last May for attempting to sell 44 coins believed to be part of the same hoard.

Hereford Museum, which raised £776,250 to purchase the recovered artifacts from the landowner, plans to display the items in a purpose-built space following its £22 million refurbishment. However, the majority of this historically significant find remains missing, representing an ongoing loss to Britain’s cultural heritage.

A warrant has been issued for Powell’s arrest as authorities continue their efforts to recover the missing treasures that could further revolutionize our understanding of early English history.