Pompeo Micheli on Antonello da Messina Theft: Museum Security and the Challenge of Recovering Masterpieces

In an article for Artemagazine, Pompeo Micheli, a Luogotenente Carica Speciale of the Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale, reflects on the theft of two paintings by Antonello da Messina from the Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare di Messina during the night of Ferragosto. Micheli draws on his thirty years of investigative experience, citing the 1998 robbery at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna (GNAM) in Rome, where two Van Goghs and a Cézanne were stolen, and the 2015 theft of seventeen paintings from the Museo di Castelvecchio in Verona. He emphasizes that museum security is not solely about technology but also about the human factor, including training and procedures. He mentions the Louvre incident in October 2025 as a reminder that even major institutions are vulnerable. Micheli describes the investigative approach of treating stolen masterpieces as hostages, requiring patience and strategic recovery. He recounts the recovery of the GNAM paintings on July 6, 1998, after an interception revealed the phrase 'I pupi stanno a nanna.' He also discusses Operation Gemini, which led to the recovery of all seventeen Castelvecchio paintings in Ukraine, where he spent 89 days. Micheli notes that famous masterpieces are difficult to sell but can still be used by criminals. He stresses that the priority is to recover the Antonello paintings and that cultural heritage belongs to the public, not thieves.