Three paintings worth $10m stolen from Renoir Museum in southern France
The two thieves had attempted to steal a fourth painting, but abandoned it as they ran from the museum.
Three paintings have been stolen from a museum dedicated to French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir in southern France in an early morning burglary.
Two thieves broke into the museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, near Nice, a little before 6am (0400 GMT) and took four paintings, Mayor Bryan Masson said in a post on social media on Tuesday.
“Spotted thanks to the town’s video surveillance cameras, the two individuals fled, abandoning one of the stolen paintings as they ran,” Masson said, adding his office estimated the value of the stolen works at 9 million euros ($10.5m).
Its collection includes objects and furniture that belonged to Renoir, including his easel and wheelchair, as well as 13 paintings and some 40 sculptures made by the master.