The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
The artwork came from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer. The museum had 12 of his works, and they were closed on Tuesday while the authorities investigated the situation.
The mayor estimated that the four paintings were worth roughly $10.5 million but, according to art theft experts, the pieces would be difficult to sell since they are so highly recognizable.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the thieves were inside the museum for less than three minutes. It was believed that they cut through a fence, went through the garden, and climbed through a ground-floor window. The mayor said the burglars appeared to use an electric knife or saw to cut the clips that held the paintings in their frames.
The museum’s alarm went off at 5:48 a.m., and the police arrived about five minutes later. Two paintings were found in the garden and assumed to be left behind. They were Renoir’s “Portrait of Madame Pichon” and “Coco Reading.” The missing works were “Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano” and “Young Woman at the Well.”
According to the French Culture Ministry’s database, “Young Woman at the Well” has a rich history, as it had been taken by the Nazis during World War II and was later recovered and returned to France. “Coco Reading” also had a wartime history before Germany returned it to France.
The Marseille prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into theft by an organized gang, and France’s national office responsible for cultural property trafficking worked alongside them. Additionally, the authorities have launched a national search for the thieves.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.