Four 'extraordinary' Renaissance paintings stolen from Italian museum
Four Renaissance paintings by Antonello da Messina were stolen from a museum in Sicily. Investigators suspect a targeted heist by black market art thieves, as the works were removed from secure displays.
Why it matters
The theft represents a significant loss of irreplaceable cultural heritage and highlights ongoing security vulnerabilities in European museums.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Three of the five surviving panels of the Polyptych of San Gregorio were taken
Four Renaissance paintings of "extraordinary value" have been stolen from a museum in Sicily, Italy's culture minister has said.
Alessandro Giuli confirmed that three panels of the Polyptych of San Gregorio and a double-sided panel of the Madonna with Child and Christ in Pietà, all attributed to Antonello da Messina, were taken Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina on Saturday night.
Police are now probing how the thieves were able to enter the museum without triggering its alarms and who may have been responsible.
The incident is the latest in a string of museum heists across Europe that have led to a growing number of priceless works disappearing from public view.
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