Antonello da Messina Works Stolen from MuMe: A Heist with No Payday
On August 15, 2023, a group of four criminals infiltrated the MuMe regional museum located in Messina, Italy, and made off with three panels from Antonello da Messina's Polittico di San Gregorio (1473) along with a double-sided panel from the late 1460s featuring the Madonna and Child and Christ. Although these artworks are valued in the millions, their notoriety makes them nearly impossible to sell. In January 2026, the Italian government acquired an Ecce Homo by Antonello for €12 million. Art critic Vittorio Sgarbi pointed out that the double-sided panel was sold at auction for £257,188.75 (€361,857.42). Experts believe organized crime might use these pieces as collateral, or a private collector could seek them for personal enjoyment.
Key facts
- Four thieves broke into MuMe in Messina on the evening of August 15.
- They stole three panels from the Polittico di San Gregorio (1473) and abandoned two others outside the museum.
- A double-sided panel from the late 1460s was also stolen.
- The works are considered impossible to resell due to their recognizability.
- The Italian government bought an Ecce Homo by Antonello da Messina for €12 million in January 2026.
- The double-sided panel was purchased by the Sicilian Region in 2003 for £257,188.75 (€361,857.42) from a Berlin private collection.
- Fabio Granata values the panel at 'at least tens of millions of euros'.
- Possible motives: organized crime using art as collateral, or a private collector's desire.
Entities
Artists
- Antonello da Messina
- Vittorio Sgarbi
- Fabio Granata
- Lynda Albertson
- Empress Eugenia
Institutions
- MuMe (Museo regionale interdisciplinare "Accascina")
- Regione Siciliana
- Corriere della Sera
- La Repubblica
- Association for Research into Crimes against Art
- Louvre
- Italian government
Locations
- Messina
- Italy
- Sicily
- Berlin
- Germany
- Paris
- France