Thieves steal Renaissance artworks in museum heist during Italian holiday

The theft struck just before 10 p.m. on a Saturday evening while the city of Messina celebrated the traditional Ferragosto holiday. According to reports from Il Giornale dell’Arte and other Italian media, the perpetrators likely exploited the distraction of the Vara procession, a major event that drew large crowds and police presence to the city center.

Breaching the MuMe Museum: The Heist Timeline

Investigators found that the thieves gained access to the museum grounds by cutting through metal perimeter fencing along Viale Annunziata. Once on the property, the group forced open a side door to enter the gallery halls. Despite museum director Marisa Mercurio stating that guards were on site and security alarms were functioning at the time, the thieves successfully bypassed the alarm systems.

Inside, the group targeted two primary works. They first breached an armoured glass display case to extract a small, double-sided tempera panel from 1465-1474 depicting the Virgin and Child with a Franciscan Monk on the front and Christ in Pieta on the reverse. This piece was acquired by the Sicilian region at a 2003 Christie’s auction.

The thieves then dismantled the San Gregorio Polyptych, a 1473 altarpiece. While they removed all five tempera-on-wood panels from the frame, they only escaped with three. Repubblica reported that the thieves abandoned two panels—depicting Saint Benedict and Saint Gregory—against a wall near the museum grounds while fleeing.

Financial Value and the “Ecce Homo” Influence

The financial stakes of the robbery are immense. Art expert Alberto Fiz estimated the value of the stolen works to be between €70 million to €80 million (US$81 million to US$92 million).

Italian Police Recover Stolen Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse Paintings

Officials suggest the artist’s current market profile may have made the museum a target. Councillor Enzo Caruso noted that international interest in Antonello’s work intensified after Italy’s Culture Ministry spent $14.9 million to acquire his painting “Ecce Homo” from Sotheby’s in New York earlier in 2026.

We are devastated by what happened. They were two of Antonello da Messina’s most important and best-known works.

Marisa Mercurio, MuMe Museum Director

The Difficulty of Selling High-Profile Renaissance Art

While the theft was executed with precision, experts warn the thieves may find the artworks impossible to monetize. Lynda Albertson, CEO of the ARCA art crimes research association, told La Repubblica that the works are instantly recognisable, which blocks any attempt to sell them through reputable channels.

Stealing an Antonello may be far easier than selling one.

Lynda Albertson, CEO of the ARCA art crimes research association

Albertson explained that such high-profile pieces rarely enter the open market. Instead, they often circulate within the criminal underworld for years, used as collateral or leverage for other illegal activities.

A Pattern of Italian Art Crimes

The Messina heist follows a string of high-value art crimes in Italy. Just days prior, police in Parma announced the recovery of three stolen works by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse, valued at approximately USD 11.5 million. Those works had been stolen in March from the Magnani Rocca Foundation, and five people have since been detained in connection with that case.

The MuMe museum remained closed on Sunday, August 17, as investigators and the Carabinieri collected evidence from the scene. For the city of Messina, the loss is described by Enzo Caruso as a disaster, claiming the city is now deprived of the very essence of the greatest artist of the European Renaissance.