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Thieves Steal Four Antonello Works From Messina Museum

8/16/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Thieves stole four Antonello da Messina works from the Museo Regionale di Messina on August 15.
They took three San Gregorio Polyptych panels—the only Antonello piece never left Messina—and a Virgin and Child with a monk and Christ.
Police said the thieves bypassed alarm and security systems and investigators are searching for clues.
Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said he was shocked.
Museum director Marisa Mercurio called the loss devastating.

History

Historical Context

On March 18 1990, two thieves posing as police entered Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and stole 13 masterpieces, a robbery the FBI later valued at $500 million. The unsolved heist and its huge loss have kept museum security on the agenda worldwide, a concern echoed by Italy’s Ministry of Culture after the recent theft of four Antonello da Messina paintings in Messina.

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Story summary

Thieves stole four Antonello da Messina works from the Museo Regionale di Messina on August 15.
They took three San Gregorio Polyptych panels—the only Antonello piece never left Messina—and a Virgin and Child with a monk and Christ.
Police said the thieves bypassed alarm and security systems and investigators are searching for clues.
Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said he was shocked.
Museum director Marisa Mercurio called the loss devastating.

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