Works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Mexican painter Frida Kahlo have been stolen from a doctor's home in Texas, USA.

The haul, worth more than $700,000 (�450,000), was taken from the San Antonio house of Dr Richard Garcia while he was asleep upstairs.

I don't think I'll get them back

Dr Richard Garcia

According to police his maid, who was in the basement, heard footsteps but thought it was Dr Garcia walking around.

A burglar alarm was set but failed to go off and no arrests have yet been reported.

The most expensive item taken was a painting by Frida Kahlo, valued at $500,000 (�320,000).

Dr Garcia, who has not publicly identified the paintings on the advice of his lawyer, said he had not insured the works because the premiums would be too high.

'Flagship'

"They passed over a lot of things," Dr Garcia, 68, told the San Antonio Express-News.

"But they took the flagship of the collection."

"I don't think I'll get them back - they will probably wind up in a private collection where nobody else ever sees them," he told the newspaper.

He said he could not tell if the burglar was acting alone or if a group of thieves took the paintings, apparently out his house's side door.

Dr Garcia, who said he often gave parties for visiting artists and musicians, speculated that an admirer of the stolen pieces first spotted them at a party and then hired professionals to steal them.

But he said he would continue collecting art.

"Of course I am slightly depressed about it, but what can I do? I will just get on with my life and make sure that I won't get hit again," he said.