Thieves stole Renoir painting from auction house wall, police say

BERLIN -- Three unknown men allegedly stole a painting by French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir from an auction house in Vienna, police said Wednesday. The thieves walked into the Dorotheum auction house on Monday and removed the painting from a wall in a room on the second floor where it was on display.

They then left the building through three different exits and escaped, police said in a statement. Police published pictures of the men and asked the public for help in finding the thieves.

An auction listing for the Renoir painting "Golfe, Mer, Falaises Vertes," estimated at between 120,000 euros and 160,000 euros ($136,000-$181,000), was removed from the Dorotheum's website.