Five Paintings by Francis Bacon Worth $33Mln Stolen in Madrid

Five paintings by Irish artist Francis Bacon were stolen from a private collection in a Madrid home, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The works – portraits and landscapes estimated at 30 million euros (over 33 million dollars at the current exchange) – were stolen from a Spanish friend of the artist last June, but the case has been kept under wraps.

The owner was identified only by his initials and was said to be 59 years old. Bacon frequently visited Spain in the 1980s and 1990s. He died in Madrid in 1992.

The robbery reportedly took place while the owner was away. The thieves switched off the alarm system and made away with the paintings without leaving any traces of their work.