An alleged $ 115 million Michelangelo canvas is stolen from a Belgian church

Belgian police and Interpol investigate the unusual robbery of a Flemish church from which a 16th-century painting that could be attributed to Michelangelo Buonarrotti was stolen. The crime occurred on the morning of last Friday, days after the pastor shared with several people his suspicions about the authorship of the screen.

The work, which represents the Holy Family, was donated by a politician to the temple, located in the town of Zele, 16 years ago. Since then, I was there in a dark corner, until a few days ago, Father Jan van Raemdonck He invited an Italian specialist compare the painting with the available records of a similar and disappeared canvas, work of the great painter and Renaissance sculptor. The specialist had to arrive last week, but the painting disappeared again before.

The priest denies that he has publicly spoken of his supposition and believes that perhaps his e-mails have been intercepted, pick up The Guardian. He says that if his belief is confirmed, the painting could have a value around 100 million euros (about 115 million dollars). It adds that it intended to strengthen security measures as soon as it could establish them.

The suspect is a 20-year-old man – not yet identified – seen that morning in front of the church. However, in the parish they doubt that a single thief could with the painting, which together with the molding weighs about 100 pounds.