French investigators say they have recovered traces of DNA from items left behind by the suspects in last weekend’s daring $102 million jewel heist at the Louvre Museum — the first significant lead in a case that has stunned France and the global art world.
Authorities confirmed that DNA evidence was discovered on a helmet and glove abandoned by the robbers after they broke into the museum’s Apollo Gallery on Sunday. Forensic analysis is underway, and investigators hope the samples will help identify members of the crew behind what police have described as a “highly organized and professional” operation.
The development came as Louvre Director Laurence des Cars appeared before France’s Senate Culture Committee on Wednesday, where she revealed she had offered her resignation following the theft but that it was rejected by the Minister of Culture. Des Cars acknowledged the gravity of the incident, describing it as a “terrible failure” and a “wound” to the museum’s legacy.
Des Cars said all internal security systems — including alarms and cameras — functioned properly during the seven-minute robbery, but a long-standing weakness in the museum’s outer perimeter allowed the thieves to enter undetected. She explained that the only exterior camera covering the Apollo Gallery faced away from the window the robbers used to gain entry.
The thieves used power tools to crack open fortified glass display cases housing jewels from Emperor Napoleon and his wives. The glass held, but the culprits managed to slip some of the priceless items through the cracks before fleeing. One crown, belonging to Empress Eugénie, was found crushed outside the museum and has since been returned to the Louvre for restoration.
Des Cars told lawmakers that aging infrastructure and decades of underinvestment have hindered modernization of the 232-year-old museum’s security systems. She called for new measures, including the possible placement of a police station inside the museum itself.
As the Louvre reopened Wednesday for the first time since the robbery — with the Apollo Gallery still closed as a crime scene — hundreds of police officers continued the nationwide manhunt. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed four main suspects but said investigators believe more accomplices may have been involved.
Source: ABC News