Italian police recover 9 million euro art collection stolen by Moldovan suspects

Italian Carabinieri have recovered three valuable paintings stolen from the Magnani Rocca Foundation in Mamiano di Traversetolo, near Parma. The artworks, valued at over 9 million euros, include a Paul Cézanne watercolor titled ‘Tasse et plat de cerises’ (estimated at 6 million euros), a Pierre-Auguste Renoir piece titled ‘Les Poissons’ (approximately 3 million euros), and an Henri Matisse work titled ‘Odalisca pe terasă’ (approximately 20,000 euros).

The theft occurred on the night of March 22-23, when suspects entered through a window and removed the pieces in less than three minutes, using a fire extinguisher to create a smoke screen to distract the caretaker. Following a five-month investigation, authorities located the paintings hidden in a television box inside an apartment in Parma belonging to one of the suspects.

Nine Moldovan citizens are currently under investigation for the theft and criminal association. Five individuals have been detained in connection with the case.