Antonello da Messina Theft Stirs Debate on Museum Security

Four Renaissance paintings by Antonello da Messina were stolen overnight from the Museo Regionale in Messina, Sicily, during Italy's August 15 national holiday, according to multiple international reports. The thieves took three panels from the artist's Polittico di San Gregorio, a polyptych that is among the only surviving works by the 15th-century master still held in his hometown, France 24 reported.

The theft occurred without triggering alarms, a detail that has led investigators to suspect a professional operation, the BBC reported. Local officials described the loss as a wound to the historical memory and cultural identity of Messina, the Guardian wrote, while CBS News noted officials expressed dismay and sadness at the timing, during celebrations of the Virgin Mary.