During the Ferragosto holiday in Messina, Sicily, criminals targeted the MuMe regional museum to seize four works attribuetd to Antonello da Messina. The stolen collection includes three panels from the 1473 San Gregorio Polyptych and a double-sided Pietà panel .
The Saturday night breach at Messina's MuMe museum
The theft occurred on a Saturday evening just before 10 p.m., according to reports from LaPresse.. Thieves successfully bypassed the alarm and security systems at the MuMe regional museum to access the high-value collection.
The stolen items are of immense historical significance, including three of the five surviving panels of the San Gregorio Polyptych. Additionally, the thieves removed a double-sided panel depicting the Virgin Mary and the dead Christ in Pietà from an armored display case, MuMe director Marisa Mercurio told the ANSA news agency.
A $14.9 million surge in da Messina's profile
This theft comes at a time of heightened global interest in the Renaissance painter's work. The Italian government recently signaled the high market value of da Messina's oeuvre by purchasing the "Ecce Homo" painting for $14.9 million from Sotheby’s auction house in New York.
This recent high-profile acquisition has placed a spotlight on the artist, potentially making his remaining works even more attractive targets for organized theft . The loss is being described by museum officials as a "tremendous loss" for the city of Messina and the broader art world.
Why the San Gregorio Polyptych panels are difficult to liquidate
While the theft is a major blow to Sicilian heritage, the stolen works may be difficult for criminals to move through legitimate markets.. Lynda Albertson, the chief executive of the ARCA art crimes research association, noted that these specific pieces are instantly recognizable to experts and authorities.
As reported by La Repubblica , Albertson suggested that stealing an Antonello may be significantly easier than actually selling one. she warned that such famous artworks often end up passing between criminal networks, serving as illicit collateral for other illegal activities rather than being sold for cash.
The mystery of the bypassed MuMe alarm systems
Investigators are still working to determine how the thieves managed to breach the MuMe museum's security and remove a panel from an armored case without immediate detection. It remains unclear whether the breach was the result of a technical failure or a more sophisticated bypass of the museum's specific security protocols.
As of Sunday, neither the Carabinieri nor museum officials had provided specific details regarding the exact method of entry. The museum remained closed to the public while investigators gathered evidence at the scene.
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