Overview
- The theft took place on Saturday, August 15, when thieves removed six 15th-century panels by Antonello da Messina from the MuMe; two panels were later abandoned outside the museum and recovered by a passerby.
- A local resident, Elisabetta Bonfato, called 112 after finding two paintings on the museum wall, and the Questura released a frame and audio of her emergency call to help investigators trace the events.
- The Procura di Messina opened a case for aggravated theft and the Squadra Mobile, supported by Carabinieri specialists, is reviewing surveillance footage and forensic traces while keeping all leads, including possible organized‑crime links, open.
- The Regione Siciliana has removed and reassigned the four custodians who were on duty that night and launched disciplinary proceedings after preliminary reconstructions suggested no staff were monitoring control screens during the roughly two‑minute intrusion.
- The CNR and the University of Palermo documented the panels in 2018 using non‑invasive imaging and spectroscopy, creating a diagnostic 'fingerprint' that authorities say can verify authenticity if any of the missing works are recovered and returned.