Multi-million dollar art recovered after three-minute Italian museum heist
Three century-old paintings stolen by an organised gang from an Italian museum during a three-minute heist have been recovered.
Three century-old paintings, including an Auguste Renoir impressionist piece, Paul Cézanne's Still Life with Cherries, and Henri Matisse's Odalisque on the Terrace, were recovered after a three-minute heist at an Italian museum. The Magnani Rocca Foundation museum, situated about 20 kilometers south of Parma, was targeted in the crime that occurred on March 22.
Police believe the thieves forced open a gate, window, and doorways to gain access. The value of the recovered paintings is estimated at six million euros for the Renoir, three million euros for the Cézanne, and 20,000 euros for the Matisse. The Carabinieri and cultural heritage protection unit confirmed the paintings' recovery during searches ordered by prosecutors.
The investigation into the heist is ongoing, and authorities are still seeking details about the thieves' actions. The stolen artworks were reportedly taken in less than three minutes and escaped through the museum's gardens. The Magnani Rocca Foundation, established in 1977 by art historian Luigi Mangini, houses Mangini's collection and works by renowned artists such as Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, and Monet.
The police suspect the gang consisted of up to five individuals, but the low commercial value of the stolen pieces has surprised some.
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