File photo: The Villa Magnani Rocca, site of the Magnani Rocca Foundation Gallery in Parma, Italy.
Roberto Serra - Iguana Press / Getty Images

Thieves made off with three paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse worth millions of dollars 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 heart of the countryside 12 miles 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 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, as it is closed on Mondays.

The crime in Parma comes after a series of high-profile heists at major European museums, including a major incident in October in which thieves stole jewels and other items worth $101 million from the Louvre in Paris.

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