Just five months after the shocking Louvre museum robbery, four masked thieves broke into a major museum and stole at least $10 million worth of art.
According to Italian police, a group of robbers broke into the Magnani-Rocca Foundation, located in a rural villa south of Parma.
He painted paintings by famous artists Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse, leaving the walls of the private museum empty.
In a statement released by the Carabinieri (Italian police), four hooded men broke into the museum on March 22, after breaking down the back gate of the property.
The thieves stole three masterpieces – Les Poissons (1917) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Still Life with Cherries by Paul Cézanne (circa 1890) and Odalisque on the Terrace (1922) by Henri Matisse.
Combined, the paintings are estimated to be worth $10 million (£7.8 million).
movie mystery
Suspect in $500 million heist wrote movie script with stolen art, burned and buried
casualty in robbery
Louvre president resigns months after gang steals jewelery worth millions
Italian newspaper Il Corriere reported that people had forced entry into the foundation building by breaking down a locked door using a crowbar.
The Magnani-Rocca Foundation spoke to the outlet, which revealed that the thieves were inside for less than three minutes before fleeing the scene after the alarm system was activated.
The four men managed to flee quickly down the dimly lit street a minute before the police arrived.
Experts say the paintings were “too hot to handle”, warning that it would be a challenge for thieves to try to sell them and they may demand a reward in return.
Lawyer Christopher Marinello, founder of the company Art Recovery International, said: “The criminals, who may have already surrounded the building, will try to get away with the cash as quickly as possible”, The Art Newspaper reported.
“They also learned from the Louvre theft that they can get into any museum if they cover their faces and move quickly,” he said.
“Museums need to start thinking about the possibility of a three-minute theft.”
He said they would not steal the artwork for “some private underwater collection”.
“Thieves want to make money off them,” Marinello said.
He said they would probably move operations out of Italy as soon as possible.
“But the more the press covers the story, the harder it will be for them to sell the work because any idiot can do a Google search and find stories about piracy,” he said.
“Thieves think they’ll find a buyer who won’t ask any questions.”
Also speaking on the issue was intellectual property lawyer Alois Calder, who said: “As methods evolve and operations appear to become more targeted and sophisticated, challenge Now there is no longer just recovery but prevention”.
In a statement posted on LinkedIn, he added: “However, for the time being, the immediate focus is on the safe and prompt return of these stolen works, which the art world will keep a close eye on.”
The Magnani-Rocca Foundation houses one of the most important private art collections in Italy.
It is home to works by artists such as Dürer, Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck and Goya.
Established in 1977 by collector Luigi Magnani, it opened to the public in 1990.
The foundation has been contacted for comment.
Luigi Magnani died in 1984.
Last October, thieves broke into Paris’ Louvre Museum in broad daylight and made off with $102 million worth of jewelery in less than eight minutes.
“We’re in a period of break-ins where criminals are taking sledgehammers and forcing their way in doors,” Marinello said.
“You can break into anything in three minutes with a ski mask on because what will CCTV capture? Nothing.”
