Antonello da Messina theft revives fears over Italy's art security

Four of the most important surviving works by the 15th-century Renaissance master Antonello da Messina were stolen overnight from the Museo Regionale in the Sicilian port city of Messina, according to multiple international reports. The theft took place during the August 15 national holiday, as the city held religious celebrations for the Virgin Mary, the Guardian reported.

The thieves took three panels from the artist's Polittico di San Gregorio, a polyptych that is among the only surviving works by Antonello still held in his hometown, France 24 reported. The BBC said the works were taken without alarms being triggered, raising immediate suspicion of a professionally planned operation.

Local officials described the loss as a wound to the historical memory and cultural identity of Messina, according to CBS News. The heist comes just days after Italian police announced the recovery of three paintings by Cézanne, Renoir and Matisse stolen from a private museum near Parma in March, keeping art security at the centre of national attention.