4 Masked Men Ste*l Renoir, Matisse and Cézanne Paintings Worth Over $10 Million in 3-Minute Heist
Italy’s national police force, the Carabinieri, is investigating the March 22 incident
Authorities are investigating a daring museum theft in Italy where several high-value paintings were taken in a matter of minutes. Reports indicate the stolen works are by world-renowned artists and are valued at over $10 million.
Four masked men entered the Magnani Rocca Foundation villa, located in Parma, on March 22 and took Les Poissons by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Still Life with Cherries by Paul Cézanne and Odalisque on the Terrace by Henri Matisse, according to Rome-based outlet Il Messaggero and the BBC.
The criminals were able to force access into the entrance door and gain entry to a room on the first floor before running off with the paintings via the museum’s gardens, all in three minutes, according to Il Messaggero and broadcaster Sky TG24, per The Guardian.
They escaped the area by climbing over a fence, according to local public broadcaster TGR, per the BBC.
The gang allegedly “intended” to steal an unknown fourth painting, but triggered the alarm system and were forced to abandon it during their getaway, according to Il Messaggero
The outlet reported that the Magnani Rocca Foundation said the operation was “extremely rapid and planned” and allegedly required “precise and coordinated organization”.
The museum said the crime allegedly involved “a clearly planned functional division of the serious unlawful conduct, which, however, was not completed due to the activation of protection systems and thanks to the prompt intervention of internal security, the Carabinieri, and the security institute, to whom we extend our most sincere thanks for their courage and promptness,” according to Italian news agency ANSA.
The BBC said the cost of the paintings was worth a combined total of €9 million (around $10.3 million). The cost of Les Poissons alone is reportedly worth €6 million (around $6.9 million).
Italy’s national police force, the Carabinieri, is investigating the incident with the support of the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit of Bologna — a unit that specializes in the protection of cultural heritage, per the BBC.
They are reviewing and analyzing video surveillance from the heist. News about the stolen paintings was only made public on Sunday, March 29, according to the outlet.
The Magnani Rocca Foundation was founded in 1977 by critic Luigi Magnani and features masterpieces by iconic artists such as Titian, Goya, Morandi and Monet.
The Carabinieri and The Magnani Rocca Foundation did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
