Artworks worth 9 million euros stolen from a museum in France (photo)

Artworks worth 9 million euros stolen from museum in France (photo)

In France, thieves took three paintings with a total value of 9 million euros from the Renoir Museum. ABC News reported this, citing the mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, Bryan Masson.

Two thieves broke into the museum dedicated to the French Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir on September 8. They stole four works of art, but dropped one while fleeing.

The local newspaper Nice-Matin writes that the stolen paintings are Portrait of Madame Pichon (1895), Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910), Coco Lisant (1905), and Jeune fille au puits (1886). The city hall estimated the value of the stolen works at 9 million euros ($14.5 million).

"Two people captured on the city's CCTV cameras dropped one of the paintings during their escape," said Bryan Masson.

The museum's alarm went off at 5:48 AM. Just five minutes later, the city police arrived at the scene. The suspects are being sought, and the investigation is ongoing.

The Renoir Museum was established in 1960 in the house where the artist lived before his death in 1919. Its collection includes objects and furniture belonging to Renoir, including his easel, wheelchair, portraits, landscapes, and nudes painted by the artist.

This theft occurred less than a year after jewelry worth approximately 88 million euros was stolen in broad daylight from the Louvre Museum in Paris. Four people suspected of plundering the Louvre have been detained. However, despite international cooperation, the stolen items have not yet been found.

In March, three works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse were stolen from a museum in Italy. Two months later, the paintings were found in the home of one of the suspects. A few days after they were found, four more paintings were stolen from another museum in Italy.