Armed Robbery at Museum

An artwork valued at $1.1m (£675,000) and entitled Olympia by the surrealist painter Rene Magritte has been stolen this morning during a daylight robbery at a museum in Belgium. The nude portrait was stolen from the artist's former home in Jette, a museum dedicated to Magritte's life and work.

Although entry to the museum is by appointment only, two armed men forced their way into the building and ordered staff to lie on the floor while they made off with the painting. No shots were fired. The painting depicts the painter's wife, Georgette, lying on her back with a shell on her stomach.