Thieves steal three paintings from Renoir Museum on French Riviera

Early Tuesday morning, three paintings were stolen from the Renoir Museum located on the French Riviera, according to local mayor Bryan Masson. The intruders broke into the museum just before 6am and managed to carry away four paintings, though one was later dropped during a chase by police. Masson emphasized that the attack on the Renoir museum, which was established in 1960 in Pierre-Auguste Renoir's former mansion, is an affront to the town's rich history and heritage.

The museum houses 13 of the renowned artist's paintings, as well as around 40 sculptures, furniture, and photographs. Masson did not disclose the specific titles of the stolen works. Renoir's most valuable pieces have often sold for tens of millions of dollars at auction. According to Europol, a pan-European police organization, art thefts in Europe are becoming increasingly violent, with opportunistic criminals often recruited through social media.

The Louvre Museum heist in Paris last October, where thieves stole €88 million worth of jewels, serves as a stark example of this trend.