New Delhi, April 1 -- Thieves made off with three paintings by Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse worth millions of euros 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 Cezanne, and "Odalisque on the Terrace" by Henri Matisse.

The Magnani Rocca Foundation, a private museum, lies in the countryside 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Parma.

Local media reported that the thieves took the paintings in less than three minutes and escaped across the museum gardens.

Established in 1977, the foundation hosts the collection of ar...