Two thieves stole several artworks from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-Sur-Mer, southern France, early Tuesday, authorities confirmed. The pair, caught on surveillance camera, initially took four paintings but dropped two during their escape, according to the city's mayor, Bryan Masson. The authorities had initially reported three stolen pieces.

The thieves used an electric knife or metal saw to cut through frame bolts. An alarm rang before 6 a.m., prompting a police response. The museum, formerly the home of Impressionist painter Pierre August Renoir, houses 13 paintings and about 40 sculptures in its permanent collection.

Mayor Masson described the suspects as acting like "a commando unit," noting they were well-informed and well-equipped but their haste led to their undoing as they fled into the gardens. The Town Hall stated the theft underscores the need for a comprehensive security plan. Jean-Luc Bragato, a local police union representative, indicated clues left inside would aid the investigation.

The authorities closed the museum until further notice. This brazen heist occurred nearly a year after the Louvre jewels theft and follows a series of cultural site robberies across France, highlighting ongoing security vulnerabilities despite recent ministry plans to map vulnerable sites and recruit specialized officers.