DNA and vehicle-tracking help French investigators recover stolen Renoirs

Recovered paintings "Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano", right, and "Young Woman at the Well," stolen from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer are on display at the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Conservation and Restoration of Heritage in Marseille, France, Monday Oct. 12, 2026.

DNA left on a protective painting cover helped investigators recover two stolen Renoirs and uncover what they suspected were preparations for another art heist, a French prosecutor said Monday.

(Image credit: Philippe Magoni)