Theft at the Royal Palace of Venaria Reale, near Turin: goods worth 150,000 euros stolen
Three thieves broke into the Royal Palace of Turin to steal 26 18th-century pocket watches
During the night between Sunday 18 and Monday 19 October, thieves broke into the Royal Palace of Venaria Reale and stole twenty-six 18th-century pocket watches, with a total value of around 150,000 euros. The Palace is one of the historic residences of the House of Savoy, situated a few kilometres from Turin, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The stolen watches are of English and French manufacture, made of gold and enamel. They were on display in the Duke of Savoy’s Audience Chamber, inside a shatterproof display case. The room is situated along the tour route of the Piano Nobile, after the Galleria Grande, in the Baroque heart of the Royal Palace.
The entire break-in was captured on CCTV: there were three thieves – dressed in black, hooded and wearing gloves – who forced their way in through a door at the museum café, before leaving in just over a minute. At the time of the theft, all security systems were active and functioning – according to a statement from the Consortium of the Royal Residences of the House of Savoy. The burglar alarm went off and the armed security service provided by the ‘Allsystems’ security firm was also operational, but the criminals still had time to escape.
Investigators believe that the theft was preceded by a series of reconnaissance visits carried out in the days leading up to it. The watches – all of which are insured – were donated in 2012 by the heirs of the collector Giorgio Accornero and are the first items to have been stolen since the Royal Palace reopened to the public in 2007. In addition to the Carabinieri from the Ivrea territorial command, the Carabinieri from the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit have also been alerted.
