Thieves Steal Four Renoir Masterpieces from French Museum, Two Remain Missing
Thieves steal four Renoir paintings from a French museum, leaving two missing. Authorities launch national search.
POLICY WIRE — Cagnes-sur-Mer, France — Two thieves breached a museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, stealing four valuable Renoir paintings in less than three minutes before fleeing and abandoning two of the artworks, according to local authorities.
The break-in occurred at the Renoir Museum, which is housed in the final home of the famed painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The museum, located between Cannes and Nice, is a major cultural attraction in the region. The stolen pieces include two that remain unaccounted for, while the other two were found discarded in the garden.
The incident has raised concerns about security at cultural institutions across France, especially after a similar high-profile theft at the Louvre last year. Art experts warn that the stolen works—valued at an estimated 9 million euros ($10.5 million)—will be extremely difficult to sell due to their notoriety and historical significance. A national investigation is underway, with officials from the Marseille prosecutor’s office and the French national office for traffic in cultural goods involved.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
