Summary

  • A pair of thieves who stole four Renoir paintings from a French museum left two in the garden as they fled, the local mayor says

  • Authorities initially thought only one of the paintings had been abandoned

  • One French outlet says the four stolen paintings are: Portrait of Madame Pichon (1895); Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910); Coco Lisant (1905); and Jeune fille au puits (1886) - it's not known which two were abandoned

  • The museum's alarm went off at 05:48 local time (04:48 BST), with police arriving five minutes later. The thieves have not been caught

  • Earlier, the mayor's office said the estimated value of the stolen art was 9m euros (£7.7m; $10.5m)

  • The theft at the Musée Renoir, in Cagnes-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, follows a multi-million euro heist at the Louvre in Paris last year

Live Reporting

Edited by Owen Amos and Charlotte Hadfield

  1. A closer look at the stolen paintings

    As we've been reporting, four Renoir paintings were stolen shortly before 06:00 local time on Tuesday, before two were abandoned in the gardens of the Renoir museum.

    French newspaper Nice-Matin reports that the four stolen paintings are: Portrait of Madame Pichon (1895); Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910); Coco Lisant (1905); and Jeune femme au puits (1886).

    It's not yet known which of the stolen paintings were abandoned.

    Coco Lisant painting by Renoir@ Renoir Museum

    Coco Lisant (1905)

    Madame Colonna Romano Portrait@ Renoir Museum

    The portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910)

    A portrait of Madame Pinchon (1895)@ Renoir Museum

    A portrait of Madame Pinchon (1895)

    Jeune femme au puits (1886)@ Renoir Museum

    Jeune femme au puits (1886)

  2. Police cordon off museum's damaged fence

    These are the latest images coming to us from the Renoir museum, where a large hole can be seen in the wired fence surrounding the museum.

    A police cordon is in place and officers are stationed outside the entrance.

    The regional French newspaper Nice-Matin reports that the thieves cut through wire fencing to get into the grounds of the museum. You can find more details on this in our earlier post.

    A wired fence that has been cut, shrubbery is on the other side and red tape to cordon it off has been placed thereAFP via Getty Images

    The area has been marked and a small cordon has been put there

    A wired fence that has been cut, shrubbery is on the other side and red tape to cordon it off has been placed thereAFP via Getty Images

    Police are on site as the perpetrators have still not been found

  3. Police sirens caused thieves to rush from scene, says mayor

    Mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer Bryan Masson makes a statement outside the Musee Renoir after four paintings, together valued at nine million euros, were stolen in an early-morning break-inAFP

    We can now bring you more from mayor Bryan Masson's comments outside the Renoir Museum this morning.

    He tells reporters that the sound of police sirens and the museum's alarms caused the thieves to rush off from the scene.

    He says they "fled by running in the gardens", and it appears they lost two pieces of art in the process. "So there are only two works of art that have been stolen", he adds.

    The museum has a collection of 12 Renoir paintings, four of which were stolen. Two of the four stolen paintings were then abandoned by the thieves in the museum gardens, according to the mayor.

  4. Thieves abandoned two paintings in garden as they fled, says local mayor
    Breaking

    Mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer Bryan Masson makes a statement outside the Musee Renoir after four paintings, together valued at nine million euros, were stolen in an early-morning break-in, with two recovered in the museum's garden and two still missing, in Cagnes-sur-Mer on September 8, 2026AFP via Getty Images

    Speaking to reporters, the mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, Bryan Masson says two paintings were stolen at the Renoir Museum and two were left behind.

    The thieves abandoned the two paintings in the museum gardens as they fled from the scene, he adds.

    Authorities initially believed only one painting had been abandoned.

  5. Thieves cut through wire fence to steal artwork, French media report

    We can bring you more details on how the artwork at the Renoir museum is believed to have been stolen.

    The regional French newspaper Nice-Matin reports that the thieves cut through wire fencing to get into the grounds of the museum.

    It also reports that the perpetrators timed the theft to take advantage of a change-over in security personnel.

  6. Where is the Renoir museum?

    Locator map of the area around Nice in south-eastern France. The Renoir Museum is marked with a black dot and red label in Cagnes-sur-Mer, a coastal town west of Nice. Nice Airport is shown to the east on the shoreline, with the Mediterranean Sea bordering the southern edge of the map. An inset map of France in the top-left corner highlights the museum's location near the Mediterranean coast in the south-east of the country.

    The Renoir museum is located in Cagnes-sur-Mer, a town on the French Riviera in the south of France.

    The museum is set on an estate where Pierre-Auguste Renoir spent the last years of his life, and is just a short drive from the city of Nice.

    Situated on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean, it is surrounded by an estate of ancient olive and citrus trees.

  7. Stolen paintings identified, French media report
    Breaking

    Hugh Schofield
    Paris Correspondent

    Coco Lisant is a 1905 oil painting on display at the Renoir museumRenoir museum

    Coco Lisant is a 1905 oil painting

    According to the regional French newspaper Nice-Matin, the stolen paintings are:

    • Portrait of Madame Pichon (1895)
    • Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano (1910)
    • Coco Lisant (1905)
    • Jeune fille au puits (1886)

    All of the paintings are by Renoir. They are visible on the museum website.

    It is not yet clear which painting was abandoned by the thieves.

  8. Riviera theft follows $100m heist at Louvre in Paris

    French police officers stand next to a furniture elevator used by robbers to enter the Louvre MuseumGetty Images

    Thieves used a stolen vehicle-mounted mechanical lift to gain access to the Louvre

    This morning's theft comes less than a year after €88m (£76m; $104m) worth of jewellery was stolen from the Louvre in Paris.

    Among the items stolen in the Louvre heist were a diamond and an emerald necklace Emperor Napoleon gave to his wife.

    In the Louvre heist, thieves used a stolen vehicle-mounted mechanical lift to gain access to the museum from a balcony close to the River Seine.

    The four main suspects were arrested, but eight prized pieces of jewellery have not been recovered.

    Art thieves in Europe are committing more violent robberies focusing on gold and jewels, often carried out by opportunists recruited via social media, Europol said in a report published last month.

  9. Renoir theft: What we know so far

    Two thieves broke into the Renoir museum on the French Riviera early on Tuesday, stealing four works of art, before dropping one. Here's what we know so far:

    • The museum's alarm went off 5.48am local time, according to mayor Bryan Masson
    • Police arrived five minutes later - and the thieves have not been caught
    • The perpetrators were captured on CCTV fleeing from the museum
    • The mayor did not identify the paintings that were stolen, but French media reports they have an estimated value of 9 million euros ($7.7m; $10.5m)

  10. Police at Renoir museum after artwork stolen

    Police officers patrol in front of the entrance of the Musee Renoir after four paintings, valued at nine million euros, were stolen from the museum in an early-morning break-in, with two suspects still at large, in Cagnes-sur-Mer on September 8, 2026.AFP via Getty Images

    Police are at the Renoir museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer on the French Riviera this morning, after artwork worth millions of euros were stolen.

    The incident happened shortly before 6am, with the thieves dropping one of four paintings as they fled.

    These are the latest pictures coming to us, with officers are stationed outside the museum's entrance.

    A police officer passes in front of the entrance of the Musee Renoir after four paintings, valued at nine million euros, were stolen from the museum in an early-morning break-in, with two suspects still at large, in Cagnes-sur-Mer on September 8, 2026AFP via Getty Images

  11. Perpetrators being actively sought - mayor
    Breaking

    Here is the mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, Bryan Masson's statement in full, translated from French:

    "This morning, two individuals broke into the Renoir Museum and stole four works of art.

    "The museum's alarm was triggered at 5:48 a.m. At 5:53 a.m, just five minutes later, our municipal police were on the scene.

    "Identified by the city's CCTV cameras, the two individuals fled, abandoning one of the stolen paintings.

    "Since this morning, both the municipal and national police have been deployed to the site.

    "The perpetrators are being actively sought, and the investigation is ongoing.

    "Attacking the Renoir Museum is attacking a part of the history and heritage of #CagnesSurMer. These events are particularly serious.

    "They also confirm the urgent need to implement the comprehensive plan to secure our museums and protect our works of art, a plan to which I have committed.

    "We will dedicate all necessary resources to better protect this heritage, which belongs to all the residents of Cagnes."

  12. Thieves steal four works from Renoir museum in France
    Breaking

    Two thieves have broken into an museum dedicated to French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, stealing four works of art - including one which they dropped as they fled.

    The mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, located in the south of France, says the estimated value of the stolen works is 9 million euros ($7.7m; $10.5m), according to the AFP news agency.

    This is a breaking news story - stay with us as we bring you live updates.