Thieves steal Picasso, 4 other works in heist at home of Marseille, France collector

Thieves steal Picasso from French collector

MARSEILLE, France — Police say a Picasso lithograph and four paintings have been stolen from a collector’s home in Marseille.

The theft comes on the heels of the $123 million art heist from Paris’ Museum of Modern Art — but is on a far smaller scale.

Judicial police said Saturday that two men managed to get past two security gates Friday at the home of the collector then knocked on the door. The collector, in his sixties, was beaten up and the Picasso lithograph and four works by other artists were taken.

Officials have not put a value on the heist.

A Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani and two other masters’ works were stolen Thursday from the Paris museum, whose security alarms were broken.