Massive theft of works by Antonello da Messina: the van used by the thieves has been found.
The suspect is a foreign gang, and the hunt is on for the ringleader. Investigators are examining local surveillance cameras, including those working at the museum.(Ansa photo)
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Investigators investigating the sensational theft of four works by Antonello da Messina from the Accascina Regional Museum in the city on the Strait of Messina, which is now closed, are focusing on museum staff and the alleged security flaws that allowed the thieves to act in two minutes, stealing the priceless panels—three of the five belonging to the famous Polyptych of San Gregorio—and the double-faced painting of the Madonna and Christ in Pietà, removed from a secure display case.
Meanwhile, a first breakthrough in the investigation came in the evening. Police and Carabinieri from the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit found a van that was believed to have been used by the thieves on August 15th to carry off the precious paintings. Investigators, however, are remaining tight-lipped and, following the discovery, are talking about "checks" to determine whether the vehicle was actually used by the thieves and then abandoned in an area without surveillance cameras. The bandits then reportedly fled in another vehicle.
Investigators are still working to identify the suspected insider who may have facilitated the thieves' work. After questioning the security guards on duty on the evening of August 15th, they reread their justifications, particularly the episode regarding the probable disarming of the alarm after the theft. The city was also very busy at that time due to the procession of the Vara, the votive float dedicated to the Madonna dell'Assunta, which draws thousands of Messina residents and requires law enforcement to carry out the robbery.
The police are combing through all the files pertaining to high-profile thieves who may have carried out the robbery, and are carefully examining all the security cameras in the area of the museum and those on nearby streets leading to the Accascina. They are also examining video footage from the days before the sensational robbery to identify anyone who may have entered the room where the theft occurred in the preceding days.
Investigations are also being conducted on cell phone bases to determine whether, in the hours before and during the robbery, there were any connections to cell phone bases that perhaps never appeared in the preceding days. Investigators are keeping quiet, but they haven't ruled out the possibility that the perpetrators were not local, but rather a gang of thieves from outside Sicily or Italy who specialize in this type of theft.
(Unioneonline)