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Art theft at Messina museum in Sicily
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2026-08-17 11:12 UTC → 2026-08-17 11:17 UTC ·
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On the night of August 15, thieves targeted the Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare di Messina (MuMe) in Sicily during the Ferragosto holiday. At approximately 9:50 p.m., at least three masked individuals reportedly entered through a secondary access point, potentially bypassing security systems to reach an armored display case. The theft involved four Renaissance artworks attributed to Antonello da Messina. The stolen items included a rare double-sided panel depicting the Virgin Mary and the dead Christ in Pietà, as well as three of the five surviving panels from the 1473 San Gregorio Polyptych. During their escape, the perpetrators abandoned two of the Polyptych panels on an external museum wall, which were subsequently recovered by passersby. Museum director Marisa Mercurio and local officials officials, including culture councillor Enzo Caruso, described the incident as a “blow to the city’s identity.” The museum has been closed to the public to allow the police Prosecutor's Office of Messina and Carabinieri specialized police units, including the Carabinieri, to conduct forensic investigations and investigations, analyze surveillance footage. footage, and identify the perpetrators.
Versions
- 2026-08-17 11:17 UTC Art theft at Messina museum in Sicily
- 2026-08-17 11:12 UTC Art theft at Messina museum in Sicily
- 2026-08-17 11:12 UTC Antonello da Messina artwork theft in Messina
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