€9m art heist hits Italian museum near Parma
A major art theft has shaken Italy after several high-value masterpieces were stolen in a rapid and highly coordinated museum break-in. According to police, four masked men carried out the robbery on 22 March at the Magnani Rocca Foundation, located near Parma. The attackers forced their way into the villa, known as the “Villa dei Capolavori,” and targeted artworks displayed in the French Room. Within just three minutes, the group escaped with three valuable paintings: Les Poissons by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Still Life with Cherries by Paul Cézanne, and Odalisque on the Terrace by Henri Matisse. The museum’s alarm system was triggered during the operation, forcing the thieves to flee before they could take additional works. They reportedly escaped by climbing over a perimeter fence. Authorities estimate the combined value of the stolen paintings at around €9 million, with Renoir’s Les […]