Thieves Steal Four Paintings From Renoir Museum in Southern France

Burglars broke into the museum dedicated to Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir in Cagnes-sur-Mer, southern France, and made off with four paintings early Wednesday, in the latest in a string of thefts targeting French cultural institutions. Two of the stolen works were reportedly abandoned by the intruders as they fled, French broadcaster BFMTV reported, citing the town's mayor.

The municipality of Cagnes-sur-Mer said on its Facebook page that the museum's alarm was triggered at 5:48 a.m. Surveillance cameras captured two individuals inside the building before they fled the scene, according to the town's statement.

French media, citing the mayor, estimated the value of the stolen works at around nine million euros.

Regional newspaper Nice-Matin reported that the intruders cut through a perimeter fence to access the museum grounds, timing their entry to coincide with a changeover of security guards.

The Renoir Museum sits on the Domaine des Collettes estate, the artist's final residence before his death in 1919. The museum opened in 1960 and houses paintings by Renoir alongside works by other artists including Aristide Maillol, Pierre Bonnard and Raoul Dufy.

No arrests have been announced in connection with the break-in, and investigators have not disclosed further details about the identities of the suspects caught on camera.

The theft adds to a growing list of high-profile burglaries at French museums over the past year. The most notorious came at the Louvre in Paris roughly a year ago, when thieves made off with eight pieces of jewelry valued at an estimated 88 million euros.

Authorities in Cagnes-sur-Mer have not yet detailed what security measures were in place at the Renoir Museum at the time of the break-in or whether any changes will be made following the theft.

The Domaine des Collettes remains one of the region's cultural landmarks, drawing visitors to the olive groves and gardens where Renoir spent his later years painting despite worsening arthritis. The estate's collection has long been considered a modest but significant counterpart to larger Renoir holdings in Paris and abroad.

French police have not released a description of the two individuals seen on museum surveillance footage, nor have they said whether the stolen paintings are believed to still be in the country. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.