Stolen Renoir Paintings Discovered in Wall; Arrests Made

WHO:

CBS News - Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone announced the recovery of the paintings.

ABC News - Four men were given preliminary charges in the investigation.

ABC News - Christian Sainte is the national director of judicial police in France.

ABC News - Culture Minister Catherine Pegard praised the recovery efforts.

WHAT:

CBS News - Two paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir were stolen from a museum in southern France.

CBS News - The paintings "Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano" and "Young Woman at the Well" were recovered.

CBS News - The value of the stolen paintings was estimated at $10 million.

ABC News - The combined value of the two recovered Renoirs was estimated at 4.2 million euros ($4.7 million).

ABC News - The paintings showed signs of damage; "Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano" had a tear, and "Young Woman at the Well" had slight damage to its frame.

ABC News - The suspects were charged with organized theft and criminal association.

WHERE:

CBS News - The theft occurred at a museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France.

CBS News - The paintings were found hidden behind a wall in a home in Clermont-l'Herault, France.

ABC News - The Renoir Museum is located in Cagnes-sur-Mer, which is between Cannes and Nice.

WHEN:

CBS News - The theft occurred in September.

CBS News - The paintings were recovered last Thursday.

ABC News - The theft took place on September 8.

ABC News - The suspects were arrested on October 3.

WHY:

CBS News - A spate of heists at French museums has raised concerns about security.

ABC News - The arrests were prompted by strong suspicion of an imminent heist.

HOW:

CBS News - Thieves used an electric saw to cut through a fence and entered the museum.

CBS News - The paintings were hidden behind a solid cinder block wall.

ABC News - DNA left on a protective painting cover helped investigators link a suspect to the theft.

ABC News - Vehicle-tracking data showed the suspect's movements after the theft.

(UPDATED October 12, 2026 14:14 UTC)

In a significant development, two valuable paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, "Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano" and "Young Woman at the Well," were recovered after being stolen from a museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, in September. Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone announced the recovery, which took place last Thursday, and four men have been given preliminary charges related to the organized theft and criminal association. Culture Minister Catherine Pegard praised the recovery efforts, although the paintings showed signs of damage and were found hidden behind a wall in a home in Clermont-l'Herault.