PARIS - PABLO Picasso's grandson on Wednesday voiced confidence that a sketchbook of 33 drawings stolen from the Paris Picasso museum will be recovered thanks to the Internet and cunning police work.

The book of pencil drawings valued at E$8 million (S$16 million) was taken from an unlocked glass case at the National Picasso Museum in central Paris, where officials discovered it missing on Tuesday morning.

Drawings could be easily sold An official from the French police force specialised in art theft that has been tasked with the investigation told AFP that the drawings could easily be sold on the market for several million euros. 'They can find a buyer,' he said. ... more Security at museum 'lax' A police source said the theft took place some time between Monday night and early Tuesday and described security at the museum housed in a 17th-century mansion as lax. The sketchbook was stolen from a first-floor exhibition room at the museum located in Paris's fashionable Marais district. ... more

'This work is an important one and belongs in the museum and I don't think that it will be possible to find another place for it,' Mr Olivier Widmaier-Picasso told Europe 1 radio.

Mr Widmaier-Picasso said Picasso's works were clearly marked, making them easy to identify and that 'cooperation between various police forces makes it very complicated to steal and resell.'

Two paintings stolen from the Paris home of Mr Widmaier-Picasso's sister Diana in February 2007 were recovered after the thieves offered them to a Dutch art dealer who tipped off police.

The grandson said the Internet had become a valuable tool to prevent sales of stolen art.

'The day after the theft, I alerted authorities to make sure pictures of the paintings were released all over the world. In less than 24 hours, more than 1,000 websites had posted the pictures,' said Mr Widmaier-Picasso.

He speculated that the sketchbook may have been taken by a kleptomaniac or by a professional art thief hoping to sell it on the private market. But he added that selling the works would be 'very complicated.' The drawings date from 1917 to 1924 when Picasso was in his late 30s and married to Russian ballerina Olga Khokhlova.

Police said there were no signs of a break-in and that there was no alarm at the Picasso museum, which houses more than 250 paintings, 160 sculptures and 1,500 drawings by the Spanish artist.

The museum was closed to the public on Tuesday when the theft was discovered although some guests had been invited for a private viewing. -- AFP