Antonello da Messina theft wounds Sicilian heritage, echoes regional fears

Four of the most important works by the 15th-century Renaissance master Antonello da Messina were stolen during a national holiday from a museum in the Sicilian port city of Messina, according to the Guardian. The theft of the works, which were taken overnight without alarms being triggered, has raised suspicion of a professionally planned hit, the BBC reported.

The thieves took three panels from his Polittico di San Gregorio, depriving the city of part of the only surviving works by the painter still held in his hometown, France 24 reported. Local officials expressed dismay and sadness at the theft, which occurred during celebrations of the Virgin Mary, CBS News reported.

The New York Times described the stolen works as being taken as the Sicilian city held a religious celebration. The Guardian quoted officials as describing the theft as a wound to the historical memory and cultural identity of the city of Messina.