A sensational art theft occurred on the evening of August 15th at the MuMe, the Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina. Thieves managed to gain entry to the exhibition halls by bypassing alarm systems and security features, stealing masterpieces attributed to the master Antonello da Messina. The criminals acted with precision, taking three of five panels from the famous Polyptych of San Gregorio and the double-sided panel depicting the Madonna and Child with Christ, which was removed directly from a secure display case. Police and forensic specialists immediately responded to the scene, launching technical investigations to reconstruct the break-in process and gather evidence to identify the perpetrators.
The Regional Museum of Messina, inaugurated in its new, expansive building in June 2017, is named after Maria Accascina, one of the most iconic figures in Sicilian art history and the Institute's longtime director from 1949 to 1963. According to the museum's website, it is located on the site of the ruins of the 16th-century Basilian monastery of San Salvatore dei Greci, destroyed by the 1908 earthquake. Remains of the church and the underlying crypt, incorporated into the exhibition area, are still visible today. Organized on three levels, two of which are dedicated to the exhibition, it covers a surface area of 17,118 square meters, including outdoor spaces featuring architectural elements. The extensive collections, mostly from the pre-earthquake city, bear witness to the relationships and exchanges that have influenced Messina since its inception, thanks to the strategic location of its natural harbor, one of the most important in the Mediterranean. Known throughout the world for the masterpieces of Antonello da Messina and Caravaggio, the Museum illustrates the history and artistic culture of Messina from the prehistoric settlement in the 4th millennium BC to the 19th century.
(Unioneonline)