SECOND MAJOR ART THEFT IN A WEEK STRIKES SOUTH OF FRANCE AGAIN

ART THIEVES HAVE RAIDED THE SOUTH OF FRANCE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A WEEK. FOLLOWING THE THEFT OF A DEGAS AT A MUSEUM IN MARSEILLES ON WEDNESDAY, AROUND 30 PAINTINGS HAVE BEEN STOLEN IN A NEARBY LA CADIERE D'AZUR, INCLUDING A RARE WORK BY PABLO PICASSO. THE WORKS WERE TAKEN FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION AT A VILLA IN PROVENCAL, LESS THAN 30 MILES FROM MARSEILLES. THE STOLEN ARTWORKS, WHICH INCLUDE A DRAWING BY POST-IMPRESSIONIST HENRI ROUSSEAU, IS THOUGHT TO BE WORTH AN ESTIMATED £900,000. POLICE SAID THE OWNER WAS CUTTING SHORT A HOLIDAY IN SWEDEN, FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF THE THEFT BY A CARETAKER ON THURSDAY. DESPITE THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL PROXIMITY, DETECTIVES SAY THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE TWO ART THEFTS ARE LINKED, BUT ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENTS. POLICE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR A DRAWING BY IMPRESSIONIST MASTER EDGAR DEGAS WHICH WAS STOLEN FROM THE CANTINI MUSEUM ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.