Four 'extraordinary' Renaissance paintings stolen from Italian museum

The works were taken overnight without alarms being triggered, raising suspicion of a professional hit.

The burglars struck at the MuMe regional museum in Messina where they made off with three of the remaining five panels that made up an altarpiece known as Polittico di San Gregorio

Local officials have expressed their dismay and sadness at the theft which occurred during celebrations of the Virgin Mary.

The thieves bypassed alarm and security systems Saturday evening at the MuMe regional museum to make off with three of the five surviving panels of the San Gregorio Polyptych, dated from 1473, as well as the double-sided panel depicting the Virgin Mary and dead Christ in Pietà, which was removed from an armored display

The Italian government in March bought a devotional painting titled “Ecce Homo” by da Messina for $14.9 million.

Four works were taken during public holiday, the day after Italian police recovered paintings by Cézanne, Renoir and Matisse Four of the most important works of art by the 15th-century Renaissance master Antonello da Messina were stolen during a national holiday from a museum in the Sicilian port city of Messina. Thiev

Art experts say the works are instantly recognisable and would be difficult to sell through reputable channels.

Thieves steal 4 Renaissance artworks in Sicilian museum heist on Italian holiday  Toronto Star

Thieves have stolen four works attributed to Sicilian Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina from a museum in Messina, Sicily

Thieves have stolen four works attributed to Sicilian Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina from a museum in Messina, Sicily

The thieves entered the museum on the night of August 15, a national holiday in Italy and the peak of the summer season, media said.

Four Antonello da Messina works stolen in Renaissance painter's hometown  Reuters

The thieves entered the museum on the night of Aug 5, a national holiday in Italy.

The three paintings, stolen from the Fondazione Magnani Rocca museum in March, are valued at more than $10.4-million

Nine Moldovans are being investigated in connection with the theft of paintings by Cezanne, Renoir and Matisse.

Police said Friday that the artworks were taken earlier this year from a private museum near Parma.

The paintings had been stolen from the Magnani Rocca Foundation, and were worth more than €10 million combined.

The paintings had been stolen from the Magnani Rocca Foundation, and were worth more than €10 million combined.