Thieves snatched three porcelain works worth millions of euros and classed as national treasures in a heist at a French collection in the small hours of Thursday, the museum said.

The robbers triggered the alarm around 3:15 am (0115 GMT) at the Adrien Dubouche National Museum in the central city of Limoges, where they smashed a window to gain entry, a source close to the case, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

The suspects entered the historical gallery where they made off with "two particularly important dishes of Chinese porcelain... dating from the 14th and 15th centuries" and an 18th-century Chinese vase, all designated as "national treasures", the museum said.

The museum valued the haul at about 9.5 million euros ($11 million) in an initial estimate to the police.

Prosecutors h

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