Four priceless artworks by the 15th-century Renaissance master Antonello da Messina were stolen overnight from the Museo Regionale di Messina, also known as MuMe, in Sicily. The theft occurred on Saturday, August 15, during the Ferragosto national holiday and the feast of the Assumption of Mary.
Thieves entered the museum late Saturday evening, bypassing security and alarm systems. The stolen pieces include three panels from the Polittico di San Gregorio, which are part of the only surviving works by the painter still held in his hometown. The robbery took place while the city was preoccupied with the La Vara religious festival and Assumption Day celebrations.
This theft comes shortly after Italian police announced the recovery of three stolen paintings by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse, worth approximately 10 million euros, from a museum near the city of Parma.
Local officials have expressed dismay and sadness over the loss of the masterpieces. Italian authorities have launched an investigation into the theft.