Ten paintings stolen in Italy, valued at over €90,000, recovered in Romania
Romanian Police have recovered ten paintings stolen from a residence in Bassano del Grappa, Italy, in August 2024. The artworks were found in Constanța County, and four Romanian citizens are under investigation for aggravated theft and illegal importation of cultural goods.
Ten paintings stolen in Italy, valued at over €90,000, recovered in Romania
Ten artworks, estimated at more than €90,000, have been found in Romania after being stolen from a house in the Italian town of Bassano del Grappa. Romanian police officers discovered the paintings following searches carried out in Constanța County, and the goods were subsequently returned to the Italian authorities.
According to News.ro, the theft occurred on 23 August 2024, when the ten paintings were taken from a residence in north-east Italy. Subsequently, these were illegally brought into Romanian territory. The total damage exceeds €90,000.
The investigation was initiated after criminal investigation officers from the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police (IGPR) received information about the existence of artworks on their country's territory, likely originating from offences committed in Italy. The investigation was conducted by prosecutors from the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Constanța Court.
During 6–7 March 2025, law enforcement executed multiple residential search warrants in Constanța County. In the course of these operations, the ten paintings were seized, along with various data storage devices and computing equipment.
Four Romanian citizens are under investigation for aggravated theft and for the illegal introduction of cultural goods into Romania. The investigative activities led to the complete recovery of the artworks and the documentation of the suspects' alleged criminal activity.
On 7 July 2026, the paintings were handed over to representatives of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Italy's Cultural Heritage. Officials from the IGPR, the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Constanța Court, the Office of the Interior Affairs Attaché of the Embassy of the Italian Republic in Romania, as well as representatives from the Museum of the City of Bucharest attended the return ceremony.
Co-operation between Romanian and Italian authorities took place through official channels of judicial and police co-operation, with information exchange facilitated through Europol.
Source: News.ro