Criminals have successfully stolen three priceless masterpieces from a private art museum located in northern Italy’s countryside, according to police reports released Monday.
The overnight break-in occurred between March 22nd and 23rd at the Magnani Rocca Foundation, situated roughly 12 miles outside Parma. Authorities report the perpetrators broke through the main entrance to gain access to the facility.
Three world-renowned works were taken during the crime: Auguste Renoir’s “Fish,” Paul Cézanne’s “Still Life with Cherries,” and Henri Matisse’s “Odalisque on the Terrace.” The stolen artwork carries a value of several million euros.
According to local news outlets, the criminals executed their plan with remarkable speed, completing the entire operation in fewer than three minutes before making their getaway through the museum’s garden area.
The Magnani Rocca Foundation, which opened its doors in 1977, houses an extensive collection assembled by art scholar Luigi Magnani. The museum’s holdings feature additional works by master artists including Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, and Monet.
Museum officials suspect the crime was carried out by a well-organized criminal group, according to local media coverage. The theft was cut short when the facility’s security alarm activated.
Attempts to reach the museum for official comment were unsuccessful, as the facility remains closed on Mondays. No public statement regarding the incident has appeared on the institution’s website.
This latest art theft follows a pattern of major museum heists across Europe, including an October robbery at the Louvre in Paris where criminals made off with jewelry and artifacts valued at $101 million.
