General · 16 August 2026

Thieves steal 4 Antonello da Messina paintings from Messina museum.

The gang beat the security systems at the local Museo Regionale di Messina just before 10pm. They forced open a secure display box to take works by 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina, including sections of a 1473 altarpiece. A local councillor suspects the break-in was triggered by the Italian government buying another of the artist's paintings for about £11m earlier this year.

✓ Verified against the source · 60 words · 40 sec