Four masterpieces by Antonello da Messina stolen from Sicilian museum

Four Renaissance masterpieces by the renowned Sicilian painter Antonello da Messina were stolen from the Messina Museum (MuMe) in Sicily on the evening of Saturday, August 15, 2026. The theft occurred at approximately 9:50 p.m. while the city was celebrating the Ferragosto holiday in the nearby Piazza Duomo.

The perpetrators managed to bypass security systems despite the presence of guards and active alarms. The stolen artworks are estimated to be worth between 70 and 80 million euros. The museum director, Marisa Mercurio, expressed profound devastation, calling the incident a significant loss for the global art community. The theft was discovered on Sunday morning, prompting authorities to close the facility to the public immediately.

Local law enforcement has launched an extensive investigation to identify the suspects and recover the stolen items. Access to the museum remains restricted as police gather evidence at the crime scene. There is currently no information regarding the whereabouts of the perpetrators or the condition of the paintings.