Crime analyst Art Albertson: "It may be easier to steal an Antonello than to resell it".

Lynda Albertson, an art crime analyst and director of Arca, the Association for Research into Crimes against Art, has suggested that stealing a painting by Antonello da Messina might be easier than reselling it. The five panels of the Polittico di San Gregorio, created in 1473, and the Tavoletta bifronte were stolen during the night of August 15 from the Regional Museum Maria Accascina in Messina while the city was celebrating its religious festival. The thieves bypassed alarms and security measures, even disabling the case containing the Tavoletta bifronte. Albertson noted that these works are highly recognizable and would draw immediate attention if presented to auction houses or reputable dealers. She emphasized that common thieves would likely discover their mistake quickly and face consequences. The artworks could enter the black market, where official valuations lose relevance. A painting worth millions on the legal market might be sold for a fraction of its value because buyers cannot display or openly resell them. Albertson cautioned against assuming the involvement of mysterious collectors or enthusiasts. Instead, she suggested that such valuable pieces might serve as collateral for drug deals or other illegal transactions, passing through intermediaries and fences before being hidden for decades, potentially disappearing entirely, like the Caravaggio stolen in Palermo. The true value of the stolen artworks might emerge when the owner faces legal proceedings. Restitution of the artwork, information about its hiding place, or details about previous ownership can become bargaining tools with authorities to secure reduced sentences or more favorable detention conditions. Albertson explained that the artwork functions as a form of contractual power reserve, akin to insurance when justice comes knocking. This dynamic was evident in the case of Raffaele Imperiale, a drug trafficker who acquired two Van Gogh paintings stolen in 2002 from Amsterdam. He claimed to have paid ten million euros for them, and during his cooperation with Italian authorities, the paintings became negotiation tools. Similarly, Belgian cocaine trafficker Flor Bressers reportedly negotiated the purchase of Due ragazzi che ridono by Frans Hals via chat, stating, "They asked for 750, we closed at 550," referring to 550,000 euros. The selection of artworks in thefts can reveal planning. In the 2021 heist at the Fondazione Magnani Rocca, which resulted in an eleven-million-euro loss, the perpetrators moved through multiple rooms to steal small, transportable pieces by Cézanne, Matisse, and Renoir. This suggests that the theft was planned in advance and executed within three minutes. Albertson urged caution in interpreting this pattern, especially regarding the Messina incident. It is too early to determine whether the stolen works were targeted for a specific buyer or commission. Surveillance footage, alarm systems, tools used, and vehicle movements will help clarify whether the thieves immediately headed toward the Antonello paintings and how prepared the operation was. At that point, the orchestration behind the crime will become clearer. The stolen artworks might not yet have a buyer and could still be searching for a fence, highlighting that acquiring a famous painting might be simpler than finding someone willing to buy it.