“3-Minute Theft” Exposed: How Were Priceless Works Found in Italy?
Italian law enforcement agencies have successfully solved one of the biggest and most sensational crimes in the art world. Priceless works by masters of French visual art — Per Ogyust Renuar, Pol Sezann and Anri Matiss — stolen in March this year from a famous private museum in the northern part of the country have been found.
According to an official statement issued on August 14 by Parma police chief Andrea Palyaro, the rare canvases were discovered undamaged at the home of one of the main suspects in the criminal case.
€9 million in 3 minutes: How was the crime carried out?
The incident took place at the end of March in a private museum belonging to the foundation named after renowned art historian and collector Luigi Magnani (Magnani-Rocca Foundation), located near Parma.
Rapid attack: Masked thieves with their faces covered by hoods broke through the museum's entrance door and spent just 3 minutes inside the building;
Security system: Because of the museum's modern video surveillance system and the rapid response of its security service, the criminals managed to take only the three targeted works, leaving the rest of the rare collection untouched;
Moldovan connection: Nine Moldovan citizens are currently suspected of involvement in this premeditated cross-border crime. At least five of them have been identified as having directly participated in the break-in.
The stolen masterpieces and their market value
The total estimated value of the recovered works of art exceeds €9 million (more than $10 million):
Pol Sezann — “Still Life with Cherries” (pencil and watercolor) — approximately €6 million;
Per Ogyust Renuar — “Fish” (from the final period of the artist's career) — approximately €3 million;
Anri Matiss — “Odalisque on the Terrace” (watercolor) — approximately €20,000.
The Manyani-Rokka Foundation: Italy's jewel of a museum
The Manyani-Rokka Foundation Museum is considered one of Italy's most prestigious and important private art collections.
In addition to works by Renuar and Sezann, the museum's collection houses rare original canvases by such great artists as Tisian, Albrext Dyurer, Piter Paul Rubens and Fransisko Goyya. The recovered works will soon return to their exhibition after undergoing restoration and expert examination.
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