Looters steal 500-year-old cave painting using electric saw, Mexico officials say

By Aspen Pflughoeft
January 10, 2025 2:32 PM



Looters stole a cave painting and damaged others with an electric saw at La Cueva Pinta, photos show and officials said. Photo from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History


Archaeologists in Mexico responded to a complaint and discovered looters had stolen a historic cave painting that’s at least 500 years old. Officials condemned the damage but have not identified any suspects.

The Coahuila branch of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) received a citizen complaint about damage to La Cueva Pinta, according to a joint Jan. 8 news release from the institute and Mexico’s Ministry of Culture. The cave site is decorated with over 150 paintings ranging from 5,000 years old to 500 years old. Archaeologist Yuri de la Rosa Gutiérrez investigated and found one painting had been stolen and two others damaged, officials said. Photos show the blank rectangular sections surrounded by red and orange designs.



One of the damaged sections of La Cueva Pinta. Photo from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History

Looters used an electric saw to cut out the paintings, officials said. Fragments of painted rock were found on the ground nearby.

The stolen painting depicted a human hand, officials said.

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