Venaria Reale palace theft: 26 historic gold watches stolen

At least three masked individuals stole 26 18th-century pocket watches from the historic Venaria Reale palace near Turin, Italy. The theft occurred in the early hours of October 19, 2026, after the suspects forced entry through a side door of the museum's cafe.

The stolen items, made of gold and enamel and of English and French manufacture, are valued at approximately 150,000 euros. The thieves targeted a display case in the Hall of the Audience of the Duke of Savoy, reportedly smashing the glass with a hammer and completing the robbery in about one minute.

Despite the presence of armed guards, active alarm systems, and anti-smash-and-grab glass, the perpetrators managed to evade security. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and considering the possibility of a commissioned theft, noting that the thieves ignored 24 historic tobacco boxes in the same collection. The stolen watches were part of a collection donated to the Savoy Royal Family in 2012 by the heirs of Giorgio Accornero.