LONDON — Two suspects broke into the Renoir Museum in France early on Tuesday, allegedly stealing 4 artworks, together with two work that they deserted as they made their escape, the native mayor mentioned.
An alarm was triggered at 5:48 a.m. on the museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, Bryan Masson, the native mayor, mentioned in a publish in French on social media.
Police arrived on the scene inside 5 minutes, however the suspects, whom the mayor described as a “well-equipped and apparently well-informed staff,” had been already gone, he mentioned.
Cops patrol in entrance of the doorway of the Musee Renoir after 4 work, valued at 9 million euros, had been stolen from the museum in an early-morning break-in, with two suspects nonetheless at giant, in Cagnes-sur-Mer on September 8, 2026.
Valery Hache/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
“I need to inform you that they had been outfitted with an electrical knife or a metallic noticed –whatever you favor to name it — they usually lower by means of the bolts holding the frames of Renoir’s works in place,” Masson informed reporters gathered on the museum. ”The police intervention and the museum’s alarms precipitated the robbers to hurry and steal solely 4 of the 12 works from the Renoir Museum.”
Rassemblement Nationwide (RN) Mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer Bryan Masson walks within the backyard of the Musee Renoir after 4 work, valued at 9 million euros, had been stolen from the museum in an early-morning break-in, with two suspects nonetheless at giant, in Cagnes-sur-Mer on September 8, 2026.
Valery Hache/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
The town’s video surveillance cameras captured them as they fled, abandoning one of many stolen work as they ran, the mayor mentioned. He later clarified that it appeared they’d dropped a second portray, so “solely two works had been really stolen.”
“Each works had been deserted within the gardens of the Renoir Museum,” Masson mentioned.
French media quoted the mayor as saying the stolen artwork was regarded as price an estimated 9 million euros, or about $10 million. It was not instantly clear whether or not that estimate was for all of the works, or simply for those who the thieves made off with.
A police officer patrols in entrance of the doorway of the Musee Renoir after 4 work had been stolen from the museum in an early-morning break-in, with two suspects nonetheless at giant, in Cagnes-sur-Mer on Sept. 8, 2026.
Valery Hache/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
The incident within the south of France on Tuesday adopted final October’s brazen and high-profile theft on the Louvre Museum in central Paris, the place a number of folks disguised as building staff cracked open show circumstances and stole jewellery that after belonged to Emperor Napoleon and his spouse.
Native and nationwide police had been on website in Cagnes-sur-Mer on Tuesday, the mayor mentioned, including {that a} manhunt for the 2 suspects was underway.
Pictures revealed by a information company confirmed law enforcement officials investigating what gave the impression to be a gap lower right into a chain-link fence exterior the museum. The mayor confirmed that the suspects had entered the museum’s gardens by means of the outlet after slicing by means of the fence.
A police officer stands close to a gap lower by the thieves within the outer fence of the Musee Renoir after 4 work, collectively valued at 9 million euros, had been stolen in an early-morning break-in, with one recovered close by and two suspects nonetheless at giant, in Cagnes-sur-Mer on Sept. 8, 2026.
Valery Hache/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Based in 1960 and renovated within the 2010s, the museum within the south of France celebrates the work of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, an impressionist painter who died in 1919.
“Concentrating on the Renoir Museum means focusing on part of Cagnes-sur-Mer’s historical past and heritage,” the mayor mentioned. “This can be a very critical incident.”
He added that the theft “confirms the necessity to instantly launch the excellent plan to safe our museums and defend our artworks — a plan to which I’ve dedicated.”
The town of de Cagnes-sur-Mer mentioned in a publish on social media that the museum could be closed till additional discover.
ABC Information’ Leontine Gallois and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
