But on the night of March 22, 2026, something unprecedented took place in this pastoral scene. A fourth work was abandoned at the scene after the museum’s security system interrupted the theft. According to The New York Times, the combined value of the works stolen in this art heist is estimated at $10 million. It would be comforting to treat the Parma theft as an isolated event, but it isn’t one. The ease of laundering stolen art through cryptocurrency and private channels has emboldened a new generation of thieves, and museums, perpetually short on money and staff, have struggled to keep pace.