**Three Paintings Worth $10 Million Stolen from Renoir Museum in Southern France**
CAGNES-SUR-MER, France — In a brazen early-morning burglary, three paintings valued at approximately $10 million were stolen from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, a town located near Nice, on September 8, 2026. The incident occurred shortly before 6 a.m. local time, prompting a swift response from local law enforcement.
According to Mayor Bryan Masson, two thieves broke into the museum and made off with four paintings. However, as they fled the scene, they abandoned one of the stolen works, leaving investigators with three missing pieces. The mayor, in a social media post, expressed his dismay over the theft, stating, “Attacking the Renoir Museum is attacking a part of the history and heritage of Cagnes-sur-Mer. These actions are particularly serious.”
The Renoir Museum, which opened its doors in 1960, is dedicated to the works of the renowned French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The museum is housed in the artist’s last residence before his death in 1919 and features a collection that includes not only paintings but also personal items such as Renoir's easel and wheelchair, along with approximately 40 sculptures.
The museum's alarm system was triggered at 5:48 a.m., and within five minutes, local municipal police arrived on the scene. Investigators discovered two zippered bags in the museum garden, which are believed to belong to the suspects. The local authorities are currently working with France’s Sub-Directorate for Combating Organised Crime and Specialised Delinquency to investigate the incident.
The theft at the Renoir Museum comes on the heels of another high-profile art heist in France, where eight items valued at around $100 million were stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris less than a year prior. Although four suspects in the Louvre case have been arrested, the stolen items remain missing, despite extensive searches and international cooperation among law enforcement agencies in Belgium, Italy, and other countries.
As the investigation into the Renoir Museum theft unfolds, local authorities are hopeful that the swift response and video surveillance footage from the town will aid in identifying and apprehending the culprits. The incident has raised concerns about the security of cultural institutions and the protection of invaluable art heritage in France.