The Eskiltuna district court heard that Johan Nicklas Backstrom stole two crowns and an orb used at the funerals of King Karl IX and Queen Kristina.
On the closing day of his trial last week, Backstrom confessed to stealing the items from the Strangnas Cathedral, west of the capital, on July 31.
His confession came after prosecutors said his DNA was found on the jewels, which were discovered on February 5 in a bin north of Stockholm.
Backstrom said he cut himself when smashing the glass during the theft.
The court noted that the king’s crown was damaged, and some of the ornamental stones had fallen off.
Christofer Lundgren, the cathedral dean, said “the regalia need to be repaired as much as possible so a lot of work remains”, according to Swedish broadcaster SVT.
The heist made international headlines because two thieves were seen dashing away from the 13th-century red-brick church on stolen bicycles before fleeing by motorboat via the vast system of lakes west of Stockholm.
The treasures were used as funeral regalia, which were placed inside or on top of a coffin to symbolise a deceased royal’s identity and social ranking.
While some funeral regalia are kept in the cathedrals of Strangnas, Uppsala and Vasteras, Sweden’s crown jewels are in vaults under the Royal Castle in Stockholm.
During the trial, Backstrom declined to say if he had accomplices. Two other men,…
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