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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 on 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 heart of the countryside 20 kilometres from Parma.
Local media reported that the thieves were able to nab the paintings in less than three minutes and escape across the museum gardens.
Established in 1977, the foundation hosts the collection of the art historian Luigi Magnani and also includes works by Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya and Monet.
The museum believes an 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, as it is closed on Monday.
The crime in Parma comes after a series of high-profile heists at major European museums, including a major incident in October where thieves stole jewels and other items worth 88 million euros ($140 million Cdn) from the Louvre in Paris.