Armed Robbery at São Paulo’s Mário de Andrade Library; Police Hunt Two Suspects After Art Theft

Overview

• Two armed men overpowered security and municipal guards on Sunday morning and stole artworks before fleeing toward the Anhangabaú area, according to the Military Police.
• No injuries were reported and no arrests had been made as officers conducted searches in central São Paulo.
• Images from the site show empty display spaces, and G1 reports at least eight pieces were taken from a temporary exhibition organized with MAM-SP.
• Authorities are still confirming the inventory of what was taken, with local coverage noting the show included works by Henri Matisse.
• The library has faced prior thefts, and in 2024 Federal Police recovered pieces previously stolen from its collection that a Brazilian collector had bought at a London auction, later returned to the municipal government.