Messina: The artworks were stolen on the night of August 15, when the city was celebrating Ferragosto and many tourists were visiting Messina. Among the stolen artworks are three panels from the painter’s San Gregorio Polyptych, created in 1473, and a small painting depicting the Virgin and Child on one side and Christ in Pietà on the other. It is reported that the artworks are estimated at a sum between €70 million and €80 million.

This event is a huge blow to the city’s cultural heritage, as the San Gregorio Polyptych is the only artwork by Antonello da Messina to remain in his native city. Despite alarms and security officers in the museum, the thieves stole the paintings, leaving two panels behind as they fled. The Italian authorities investigate the planned heist and search for the missing artworks.

For Messina, the incident is about far more than the paintings’ financial value. The stolen works are deeply connected to the city’s history and Renaissance heritage, making their disappearance a painful cultural loss. As investigators work to recover the masterpieces, the heist has once again raised concerns over the protection of Italy’s priceless artistic treasures.