Two thieves broke into the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer on Tuesday, making off with three paintings after an initial haul of four artworks valued at about €9 million, one piece abandoned during the escape.

Authorities are conducting a manhunt and the investigation remains active, with local officials and regional police involved in the search for suspects.

The mayor condemned the theft as an attack on local heritage and pledged to marshal resources to bolster protection of cultural property.

Further updates are expected as more details become available.

The case is being handled by the Directorate for Organized Crime and Serious Delinquency as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Local authorities and the regional police administration are coordinating the investigation and public communications.

CNN coverage notes Melissa Bell reported on the incident, with no additional details on suspects, security measures, or recoveries provided in the excerpt.

Law enforcement and cultural organizations are responding with coordinated efforts, including a new ICC-INTERPOL initiative to strengthen security and deter illicit movement of cultural goods.

A nationwide 33-point security plan released in July recommends temporarily removing highly vulnerable pieces from display and storing them in secure, location-specific repositories to reduce risk.

The 33-point plan also calls for designating secure repositories for at-risk works as security improvements are implemented.

Unveiled in July, the plan emphasizes safeguarding artifacts by removing vulnerable items from view while security upgrades are put in place.

The OCBC plans to log the missing artworks in major tracking databases Treima and Psyche to enhance monitoring and inter-agency coordination.