Kathmandu— Italian authorities announced Friday the recovery of three artworks by renowned artists Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse, which were stolen in March from the Magnani Rocca Foundation near Parma. Police detained five individuals believed to be part of an organized crime group responsible for multiple thefts, also recovering other stolen goods worth tens of thousands of euros. The recovered paintings – valued at a combined total of over 9 million euros ($10.5 million) – were found in the possession of one of the suspects following searches across Parma and neighboring provinces.

Artworks Recovered, Suspects Detained

The Italian Carabinieri’s art recovery squad confirmed the discovery of “Fish” by Renoir, “Still Life with Cherries” by Cézanne, and “Odalisque on the Terrace” by Matisse. The Cézanne painting is valued at 6 million euros ($7 million), while the Renoir is estimated at 3 million euros ($3.5 million) and the Matisse at 20,000 euros ($23,000). Police said the five suspects detained are believed to be linked to a criminal organization responsible for numerous property thefts.

Details of the Museum Heist

The theft occurred on the night of March 22-23 at the Magnani Rocca Foundation, located approximately 12 miles from Parma. Video footage released by authorities showed thieves entering through a broken window and swiftly removing the three artworks before escaping through the gardens. Investigators were able to trace evidence found at the scene – including a pickaxe and fire extinguisher with altered serial numbers – back to an apartment connected to one of the suspects.

Separate Recovery in Brazil

In a separate incident, Brazilian police located eight stolen works by Matisse during a raid on an apartment outside São Paulo late Thursday. These prints, valued at over 1 million reais ($193,000), were found alongside one man who was arrested and linked to another suspect previously apprehended in April during an unrelated art theft investigation. The recovered Matisse prints include pieces from the artist's 'Jazz' series, such as “Le Clown” and “Le Cirque.”

The recovery of these artworks represents a significant success for Italian and Brazilian law enforcement in combating art crime. Investigations are ongoing to determine if there were any connections between the thefts in Italy and Brazil.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.