Thieves steal Renoir Museum artworks worth €9 million
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago1 MIN
Summary
Two thieves broke into the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, southeastern France, on Tuesday morning and stole four artworks, according to local authorities and French media reports. One of the stolen works was abandoned during the escape, and the total value of the targeted pieces was put at about €9 million.
Key Points
- Bryan Masson, mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, said two individuals entered the museum on Tuesday morning and stole four works of art
- The suspects were spotted through the town's video surveillance system and fled, leaving behind one of the stolen paintings
- Masson said the museum alarm sounded at 5.48am, and municipal police arrived at the scene by 5.53am
- French media, cited by Xinhua, reported that four paintings were stolen from the Renoir Museum in southeastern France
- The stolen works were valued at around €9 million, or roughly US$10 million to US$10.45 million, according to the reports.
Why It Matters
The theft adds to concerns over museum security in Europe after recent high-value art robberies in France, including last year's Louvre case in Paris. For Hong Kong readers, it is a reminder that major cultural institutions can remain vulnerable even with alarms and video surveillance in place