Italian police recover stolen French masterpieces near Parma
Italian police have recovered three stolen French masterpieces valued at over €9 million (approx. 177 million MDL) following a raid on a suspect's home near Parma. The paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse were stolen in March from a private museum in northern Italy.
Parma Police Chief Andrea Pagliaro announced on Friday, August 14, that nine Moldovan nationals are implicated in the cross-border investigation. Five of the individuals are suspected of directly carrying out the heist.
Stolen masterpieces estimated at €9 million
The recovered artworks include Renoir's late painting "Fish," valued at €3 million, and Cézanne's pencil and watercolor drawing "Still Life with Cherries," estimated at €6 million. The third piece, Matisse's watercolor "Odalisque on the Terrace," is valued at €20,000.
All three works were taken in late March from the Magnani-Rocca Foundation in Mamiano di Traversetolo, near Parma. The foundation holds one of Italy's premier private art collections, featuring works by Titian, Albrecht Dürer, Peter Paul Rubens, and Francisco Goya.
High-speed heist foiled by security systems
Investigative reports reveal that hooded thieves forced the museum's front entrance and fled with the paintings in just three minutes.
Representatives of the Magnani-Rocca Foundation stated that while the break-in was meticulously planned, further damage was prevented by video surveillance and prompt intervention from police and security personnel.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
