Two paintings, Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano and Young Woman at the Well, stolen from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, are displayed at the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Conservation and Restoration of Heritage in Marseille, France, on Monday, October 12, 2026. This recovery was achieved through DNA evidence found on a protective cover, illuminating the events behind the theft, according to a French prosecutor.
Investigation and Charges
Prosecutor Nicolas Bessone announced that four individuals face preliminary charges due to the robbery that occurred on September 8 at the small Renoir Museum located on the French Riviera. Charges include organized theft and criminal activities. Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano sustained a tear, and Young Woman at the Well had minor frame damage. Authorities estimate these pieces to be valued at approximately €4.2 million ($4.7 million).
Robbery Details
The suspects used an electric saw to breach the museum’s fence, entered through the ground floor, and dismantled the frames of four paintings. The museum’s alarm activated, prompting police to arrive in four minutes, leading the thieves to flee in panic, leaving behind two paintings in a protective sleeve.
DNA and Further Developments
DNA from the abandoned cover matched a 29-year-old involved in a separate drug trafficking investigation. Vehicle tracking indicated his movements with a 41-year-old accomplice to a third party’s home shortly after the theft. On October 3, surveillance captured the 29-year-old visiting the Maeght Foundation, which holds modern art collections, and meeting a fourth suspect with past involvement in art theft.
More Arrests and Confessions
Authorities charged two primary suspects with theft by an organized gang and criminal association. They remain detained as the investigation continues. Another suspect confessed to hiding the Renoirs behind a wall at his residence. Investigators retrieved the paintings from this hiding spot. A fourth suspect admitted to viewing photographs of the artworks but failed to identify them at the time. These two suspects face preliminary charges for concealing stolen paintings and remain under judicial supervision, restricted from leaving France.
Two other individuals were released without any charges filed against them.
Concerns Over Museum Security
The Renoir Museum was Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s last residence, making it a notable attraction in Cagnes-sur-Mer, located between Cannes and Nice. The recent theft has stirred concerns, reminiscent of last year’s crown jewels theft from the Louvre, prompting demands for enhanced security and funding across France’s cultural sites.
Christian Sainte, head of judicial police, remarked that France often faces organized crime targeting valuable cultural artifacts in museums, castles, places of worship, private residences, and galleries. Last year, French museums reported 23 such cases, with about 10 occurring this year.