Paris art heist nets thieves EUR 500mn

Unknown thieves got away with five classic works of early 20th century art Thursday, including a Picasso, a Modigliani, a Matisse, a Braque and a Fernand Leger. All five pieces were stolen from the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris overnight. Paris art heist nets thieves EUR 500mn Museum staff discovered the paintings were missing when they opened their doors on Friday morning. The thief or thieves apparently broke into the museum through a window. Investigators have now cordoned off the museum, which is located across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower in one of the city's most tourist-frequented areas. The stolen works are Pablo Picasso's Le pigeon aux petits pois, Henri Matisse's La pastorale, Georges Braque's L'olivier pres de l'Estaque, Amadeo Modigliani's La femme a l'eventail and Fernand Leger's Nature morte aux chandeliers. Together they are worth about 500 million euros ($613 million).

Paris art heist nets thieves EUR 500mn

Museum staff discovered the paintings were missing when they opened their doors on Friday morning.

The thief or thieves apparently broke into the museum through a window. Investigators have now cordoned off the museum, which is located across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower in one of the city's most tourist-frequented areas.

The stolen works are Pablo Picasso's Le pigeon aux petits pois, Henri Matisse's La pastorale, Georges Braque's L'olivier pres de l'Estaque, Amadeo Modigliani's La femme a l'eventail and Fernand Leger's Nature morte aux chandeliers.

Together they are worth about 500 million euros ($613 million).