Thieves steal Renaissance artworks in museum heist during Italian holiday
Summary
Thieves stole four valuable Renaissance paintings by Antonello da Messina from a museum in Messina, Sicily during a public holiday. The stolen artworks are considered rare cultural treasures and were taken by breaking into the museum and smashing a protective glass case.Key Facts
- Four Renaissance artworks by Antonello da Messina worth up to 80 million euros ($93 million) were stolen.
- The theft happened at around 9:50pm during Sicily's Ferragosto holiday, when many people were distracted.
- Thieves cut through fences and forced open a side door to enter the museum.
- They broke an armored glass case to steal a small double-sided tempera panel and parts of the San Gregorio Polyptych.
- Two panels were left abandoned near the museum grounds.
- Antonello da Messina is a famous early Renaissance painter, born in Sicily around 1430.
- His works are rare and highly valued since few survive today.
- Experts say stolen art like this is hard to sell openly and may be used in illegal underground trading.
- The theft follows another recent case in northern Italy where police recovered stolen paintings by Renoir, Cezanne, and Matisse.
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