A museum in northern Italy has been robbed of masterpieces in a daring three-minute heist. Four masked thieves broke into the Magnani Rocca Foundation near the city of Parma overnight between March 22 and 23 and stole three valuable paintings from renowned art masters.
The stolen works include Pierre-Auguste Renoir's 1917 oil painting 'Les Poissons,' Paul Cézanne's 1890 watercolor 'Tasse et plat de cerises,' and Henri Matisse's 1922 piece 'Odalisque sur la terrasse.' Together, the paintings are reportedly worth about US$10 million.
The thieves forced their way through a first-floor door of the museum's Villa of Masterpiece and made off with the paintings across the villa's gardens while the alarm system was sounding. Surveillance footage captured the entire incident, showing the masked intruders fleeing with the artworks. The museum initially kept the theft secret, hoping to catch the thieves if they returned or tried to sell the paintings.
According to the Carabinieri of Parma and the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit of Bologna, no arrests have yet been made. The museum has remained open during its regular hours while authorities continue their investigation.
Art theft, also known as artnapping, involves stealing paintings or other visual art from galleries, museums, or private collections. The stolen pieces are often resold or used as collateral for loans.
Some of the most famous theft cases include the robbery of Leonardo da Vinci's iconic 'Mona Lisa' and Edvard Munch's 'The Scream.' While some masterpieces were swiped for ransom and later returned, the disappearances of others remain a mystery.
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