High-value paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse have vanished after burglars descended on the gallery and snatched the artworks before fleeing just three minutes later
Three high-value paintings have been stolen from a museum near Parma, Italy(Image: Getty Images)
Famous paintings worth millions have been stolen in a gallery heist – with the culprits said to have been in and out of the building in just three minutes.
The artworks by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse were snatched from a museum near the city of Parma in northern Italy, police revealed today. The heist took place overnight on March 23, with the thieves forcing open the entrance door, snatching the paintings and making a speedy exit.
The three stolen paintings are ‘Fish; by Auguste Renoir, ‘Still Life with Cherries’ by Paul Cézanne, and ‘Odalisque on the Terrace’ by Henri Matisse.
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The Magnani Rocca Foundation, a private museum, is located in a rural area about 12 miles from Parma. Local media reported that the thieves were able to nab the paintings in less than three minutes and escape across the museum gardens.
An alarm is reported to have interrupted the thieves while they were ransacking the gallery. Established in 1977, the museum also includes works by Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya and Monet, though none of these were taken.
Museum bosses believe an organised criminal gang was behind the heist, according Italian media. They are yet to publicly comment on the incident.
Latest heist comes only months after Louvre raid
It’s only the latest a series of high-profile heists at major European museums, including a ‘shocking’ theft at the Paris Louvre last year which saw burglar make off with crown jewels and a host of high-value historical artefacts worth 88 million euros (£76million).
The robbery on October 19 unfolded during public opening hours, with four suspects arriving around 9.30am and using a cherry picker to calmly access the first floor. They then cut through a window and display cases in the Galerie d’Apollon using power tools.
Nine items of historic jewellery were stolen from the gallery, before the gang escaped the scene on scooters within roughly seven minutes.
The stolen goods included a tiara and brooch from Empress Eugénie (wife of Napoleon III) and an emerald set from Empress Marie-Louise. While the damaged crown of Empress Eugénie was recovered, the other items remain missing.
All four primary suspects were arrested by French police in the weeks that followed, though investigators have not ruled out the existence of a wider network and a potential ‘mastermind’ behind the heist.
