The sleight of hand certainly came as a surprise to some art thieves in northern Italy: In early March, the outlaws used a hammer to break a display case containing what they thought was a 17th-century masterpiece titled “The Crucifixion” by Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel the Younger, worth about $3 million. Little did they know, however, that police in the city of Castelnuovo Magra had been tipped off to a plot to steal the painting from Santa Maria Maddalena church. The skillful deception to thwart the robbery included replacing the masterpiece with a fake and setting up surveillance cameras to monitor all activity. Meanwhile, the real masterpiece, a tourist attraction donated to the church at the beginning of the 20th century, was safe in storage.
Pieter Bruegel the Younger, son of Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, was known for making copies of his father’s work, as well as his own original paintings.
Police are currently still looking for the thieves, who made their getaway in a car.
SAY What? The plot was not foiled and they GOT AWAY with a fake painting? OH NO! Now some scum-bag illegal art dealer will buy a fake painting when he thinks it was the REAL thing. BOO-HOO for Ms/Mr Scum-Bag.
SAY What? The plot was not foiled and they GOT AWAY with a fake painting? OH NO! Now some scum-bag illegal art dealer will buy a fake painting when he thinks it was the REAL thing. BOO-HOO for Ms/Mr Scum-Bag.
Love jcblankjr’s comment. Very apropos. Hard to add anything to that. 🙂
Love jcblankjr’s comment. Very apropos. Hard to add anything to that. 🙂
How could the thieves have gotten away so easily when everything was set in place for their capture at the scene with the forgery in their hands….Barney Fife could have done much, much better at their capture.
How could the thieves have gotten away so easily when everything was set in place for their capture at the scene with the forgery in their hands….Barney Fife could have done much, much better at their capture.
I’m wondering if they stole the fake? Will they try to sell it? To give the police more credit than due, maybe they planned to let the thieves escape so they could find out how they plan to sell the painting, etc. This will make a decent Netflix movie.
I’m wondering if they stole the fake? Will they try to sell it? To give the police more credit than due, maybe they planned to let the thieves escape so they could find out how they plan to sell the painting, etc. This will make a decent Netflix movie.
You’re tipped off. You set up a sting. You set up surveillance. You observe the thieves. THEY DRIVE AWAY IN A CAR?!!!! Inspector Clouseau could have done a better job.
How sad.
You’re tipped off. You set up a sting. You set up surveillance. You observe the thieves. THEY DRIVE AWAY IN A CAR?!!!! Inspector Clouseau could have done a better job.
How sad.