Thieves stole paintings by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse from the Magnani Rocca Foundation, a private museum near Parma, Italy. The heist occurred on the night of March 22-23, with the four masked men forcing open the entrance door.
The stolen artworks include “Fish” by Auguste Renoir, “Still Life with Cherries” by Paul Cézanne, and “Odalisque on the Terrace” by Henri Matisse, collectively worth millions of euros. Police confirmed the thieves managed to complete the smash-and-grab in under three minutes and escaped through the museum gardens.
The Magnani Rocca Foundation, established in 1977, hosts the collection of art historian Luigi Magnani, and also features works by artists such as Dürer and Monet. The museum was closed on Monday and unavailable for comment.
This crime follows a series of high-profile heists at European museums, including a major incident at the Louvre in Paris last October. Authorities believe a structured and organized gang was responsible for the theft.