Two men have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a rare collection of silver medallions belonging to a civic guard group from Limburg last year.

The two work for the local Kerkrade waste collection agency which is thought to have picked up the medallions when they were mistakenly put out with the rubbish.

The Sint Sebastianus civic guard from Kerkrade, which can trace its roots back to 1617, offered a €10,000 reward for the return of the silver, which was thrown out with the rubbish during a clear-out of a local Rabobank branch. Rabobank also offered a €10,000 reward.

The other silver, which has also been recovered, consists of 220 hand-engraved silver shields, is insured for €250,000.

Police were put on the trail of the suspected thieves after one of them, aged 44, apparently tried to sell the medallions last Friday. The second man, aged 51, was arrested on Monday.