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DNA and vehicle-tracking help French investigators recover stolen Renoirs and makes arrests
Investigators recovered two damaged works after DNA and vehicle tracking linked suspects to the theft, officials said.
French investigators recovered two stolen Renoir paintings on Monday, charging four men with organized theft, Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone said. The works, valued at €4.2 million, were seized following a Sept. 8 break-in at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer.
Thieves entered the museum on Sept. 8 by cutting through a fence with an electric saw, removing four paintings before fleeing when an alarm sounded. The quick response "apparently caused the perpetrators to panic," leaving two paintings abandoned, Bessone said.
Vehicle-Tracking and DNA evidence linked a 29-year-old suspect to the heist, according to investigators. Surveillance revealed the suspect visited the Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul-de-Vence on Oct. 3, prompting authorities to act before an imminent second crime.
Two suspects face preliminary charges of "theft committed by an organized gang" and "criminal association," remaining in prison pending investigation. Two others face "concealment" charges and were released under judicial supervision, barred from leaving France.
National director of judicial police Christian Sainte noted Monday that France "is repeatedly targeted by organized criminal groups that carry out theft operations" targeting cultural heritage. French museums recorded about 10 thefts this year, underscoring the persistent vulnerability.