3 Renoirs worth roughly $10 million stolen from France's Renoir Museum

By Brian Dakss Senior Editor Brian Dakss is a longtime New York-based editor and writer for CBS News, at the Radio network and with CBSNews.com. He has written and edited for NBC News, Dow Jones and numerous radio stations and been a radio anchor and reporter. Read Full Bio September 8, 2026 / 4:18 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Authorities in France are seeking two thieves who broke into a museum with paintings by famed French impressionist Auguste Renoir early on Tuesday and stole "four works of art" but dropped one as they got away, the local mayor said. "Spotted thanks to the town's video surveillance cameras, the two individuals fled, abandoning one of the stolen paintings as they ran," said Bryan Masson, mayor of the French Riviera town of Cagnes-sur-Mer. His office estimated the value of the stolen art at 9 million euros ($10 million). It was unclear whether the estimate covered the four paintings initially taken or the three they escaped with.He didn't say which paintings were swiped.In a statement on his Facebook page, Masson said the museum's alarm was set off at 5:48 a.m. and police were on the scene five minutes later. A police officer stands in front of the entrance of the Musee Renoir after three paintings were stolen from the museum in an early-morning break-in, in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, on Sept. 8, 2026. Valery HACHE / AFP via Getty Images "Since this morning, both the municipal and national police have been deployed to the site," he continued. "The perpetrators are being actively sought, and the investigation is ongoing."Masson said "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."