An art theft has struck the museum dedicated to Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir in southern France, where the perpetrators forced their way in and took four works of art of considerable value. According to the official version from local authorities, the preliminary damage amounts to around 9 million euros.
Forced entry and quick escape
The incident was reported in the city of Cagnes-sur-Mer, where two thieves entered the museum and took four artworks.
According to local authorities, the perpetrators fled quickly immediately after the robbery, raising questions about the level of security in a museum space housing works of this value.
One of the works was thrown away during the escape
During their escape, one of the stolen works was thrown away by the robbers, according to information made public so far.
Full details have not yet been provided about its condition or the specific circumstances that led to the abandonment of that work.
The damage is estimated at 9 million euros
The mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer said, according to AFP, that the total value of the four works taken reaches around 9 million euros.
The figure remains part of the initial assessments made public and is expected to weigh on the investigation into the real scale of the damage.
Investigation into the perpetrators and the missing works
Police have launched an investigation to identify and capture the perpetrators, while also seeking to locate the other works reported missing from the museum.
The museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer is dedicated to the final period of Renoir’s life and work, as he spent his last years in this area of the French Riviera.
The case brings renewed attention to security weaknesses in institutions that safeguard high-value artistic heritage.
For the moment, French authorities have not made public the identity of the perpetrators or any further information about the fate of the three works that remain unaccounted for.