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Italy Museum Heist Steals Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse in Under Three Minutes

Investigators are mining security footage to track a swift, organized crew that hit a rare trove of French masters.

Overview

  • Thieves took three works from the Fondazione Magnani-Rocca near Parma during the night of March 22–23, a theft disclosed about a week later to protect early leads.
  • Four masked intruders forced a door, seized the Renoir still life Les Poissons, a Cézanne still life with cherries, and a Matisse print, then fled through the gardens after alarms sounded.
  • The Carabinieri cultural-heritage unit is reviewing footage from museum cameras and nearby homes and shops, and the artworks remain missing.
  • Italian media put the haul at roughly €9–10 million, removing rare examples of French masters from public view in Italy.
  • Reports suggest the crew also targeted a fourth piece and may have dropped it during the escape, a detail authorities have not confirmed.