An attempted art heist at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, where two thieves targeted four paintings valued at around nine million Euros, has been thwarted by a rapid police response. While two paintings were recovered by authorities who arrived within minutes of the alarm, the incident has prompted renewed concerns about the security of French museums. The attack on the historic villa, once home to the renowned painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, is considered a significant blow to the region's cultural heritage and follows a pattern of high-value art thefts in France.

An attempted art heist at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, where two thieves targeted four paintings valued at around nine million Euros, has been thwarted by a rapid police response. While two paintings were recovered by authorities who arrived within minutes of the alarm, the incident has prompted renewed concerns about the security of French museums. The attack on the historic villa, once home to the renowned painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, is considered a significant blow to the region's cultural heritage and follows a pattern of high-value art thefts in France.

An attempted art heist at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, where two thieves targeted four paintings valued at around nine million Euros, has been thwarted by a rapid police response. While two paintings were recovered by authorities who arrived within minutes of the alarm, the incident has prompted renewed concerns about the security of French museums. The attack on the historic villa, once home to the renowned painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, is considered a significant blow to the region's cultural heritage and follows a pattern of high-value art thefts in France.

Four paintings worth $10 million stolen from Renoir Museum in France; thieves abandon two to flee

At least four paintings estimated to be worth around nine million Euros ($10 million) were almost stolen by two thieves from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer early Tuesday morning.

Two of the paintings were reportedly abandoned in the garden of the museum as the thieves fled and were recovered, a police source said.

"The museum alarm went off at 5:48 a.m. At 5:53 a.m., five minutes later, our municipal police were on site," stated Mayor Bryan Masson.

CCTV footage showed two individuals breaking into the museum and stealing the paintings.

The thieves were reportedly well equipped and weel informed. "The Ramses security system was immediately activated, alerting both the national and municipal police ," the mayor stated. "They were wearing helmets, gloves, and camouflage fatigues; they were well-informed. These are people who knew exactly what they were doing ," he continued.

The burglars reportedly entered the museum by smashing a glass window. Police arrived in less than five minutes,which the burglars to seize the two artworks located on the ground floor. "They were equipped with an electric knife and a metal saw, and they cut the pins that held the frames in place ," as shown in the CCTV footage.

The fingerprints on the zip-lock bags are being analysed.

“Attacking the Renoir Museum is attacking a part of Cagnes-sur-Mer’s history and heritage. These acts are particularly serious,” he said.

The stolen paintings have not been identified, and the ones recovered are still in zip-lock bags, according to the mayor.

The Grasse public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation, Le Parisien reported.

The museum is located in a villa located in the hills above Cagnes-sur-Mer, around Nice, which once belonged to the painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919).

The museum was created in 1960 in the painter's home. Along with about 12 original Renoir paintings, the museum displays objects that belonged to the painter, including his easel and wheelchair, as well as portraits, 40 sculptures, landscapes, and nudes painted by the artist.

The theft takes place almost a year after the sensational heist at the Louvre. The thieves took with them the eight Crown Jewels of France from the Apollo Gallery, which are still missing to this day. The loss was estimated to be 88 million euros.

Since the heist, the French Ministry of Culture said that they made museum security a top priority. In a 33-measure plan unveiled in July, the ministry recommended temporarily removing certain pieces from display cases.

The latest burglary has raised the question of security in French Museums.

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