Watch: Moment €9m worth of art stolen from Italy museum

The paintings of Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse, which were stolen from an Italian private museum in March, have been recovered by the police. The Magnani-Rocca Foundation, near Parma, was the target of the robbery. According to the Carabinieri, the stolen works are valued at €9 million. The thieves entered the foundation in a rural villa south of Parma on March 22 and took Les Poissons by Renoir, Still Life with Cherries by Cézanne, and Odalisque on the Terrace by Matisse.

The theft was quick, taking less than three minutes, possibly due to the alarm system being triggered. The Italian Carabinieri's art recovery squad found the paintings during searches ordered by prosecutors, though no further details were provided. The investigation is ongoing, and the Magnani-Rocca Foundation and Carabinieri have been asked for comments.

The Magnani-Rocca Foundation holds a significant collection of art, including works by Dürer, Titian, Rubens, van Dyck, and Goya. Five paintings by Brazilian artist Candido Portinari, also stolen in the same incident last December, are still missing. Two other works were dropped by the thieves as they fled. Additionally, rumors of a Sotheby’s valuation have fueled discussions about an auction.