Overview
- The thieves entered the MuMe during Messina’s Ferragosto celebrations and in roughly two to three minutes removed three of the five surviving panels of the Polittico di San Gregorio and a rare bifront tablet attributed to Antonello da Messina.
- Two of the stolen polittico panels were abandoned and found by passersby, and investigators recovered those pieces while the bifront tablet and three panels remain missing.
- The Procura di Messina opened an inquiry for aggravated theft of cultural property and police together with the Carabinieri TPC are examining surveillance video, cell‑site data and staff movements for evidence of an inside accomplice (a basista).
- Reports that a getaway van had been seized have produced conflicting accounts and remain under verification as authorities also launch an internal regional inspection and disciplinary proceedings for the custodial staff on duty.
- Experts warn the works are hard to resell openly and are likely to be used as collateral or hidden inside criminal networks, a fact that, combined with recent regional cuts and the use of non‑specialist custodial staff, has intensified calls for staffing, training and security upgrades.