Thieves steal paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse from a private museum in Italy

ROME (AP) — Thieves made off with three paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse worth millions of euros from a museum near the city of Parma in northern Italy, police said Monday.

The heist took place on the night of March 22-23, with thieves forcing open the entrance door, police said.

The three stolen paintings are “Fish” by Auguste Renoir, “Still Life with Cherries” by Paul Cézanne, and “Odalisque on the Terrace” by Henri Matisse.

The Magnani Rocca Foundation, a private museum, lies in the countryside 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Parma.

Local media reported that the thieves took the paintings in less than three minutes and escaped across the museum gardens.

Established in 1977, the foundation hosts the collection of art historian Luigi Magnani and also includes works by Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya and Monet.

The museum believes a structured and organized gang was responsible for the theft, which was interrupted by the alarm, local media reported.

The museum didn’t post any statement about the theft on its website and wasn’t reachable for a comment, because it’s closed on Monday.

The crime comes after a series of high-profile heists at major European museums, including the theft in October of French crown jewels and other items worth 88 million euros ($101 million) from the Louvre in Paris.

Italian art expert Claudio Strinati said that the three stolen paintings are minor works from the three masters.

“Renoir’s painting, for example, is very beautiful, but, within the context of the foundation as a whole, it isn’t among the most important works,” he told The Associated Press.

Strinati also said the heist could be followed by a ransom request.

“Art thefts can indeed be carried out for the purpose of extortion,” he said.