DNA and vehicle-tracking help French investigators recover stolen Renoirs
French investigators successfully recovered two stolen Renoir paintings after DNA evidence on a protective cover linked a suspect to the crime. Four men have been charged, and authorities believe the arrests prevented an imminent heist at another art foundation.
Why it matters
The case demonstrates the effectiveness of modern forensic techniques and surveillance in combating high-value art theft.
NANTERRE, France — DNA left on a protective painting cover helped investigators recover two stolen Renoirs and uncover what they suspected were preparations for another art heist, a French prosecutor said Monday.
Four men were given preliminary charges in the investigation into the Sept. 8 theft from the small Renoir Museum in the town of Cagnes-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. The charges include organized theft and criminal association, Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone said.
One painting, "Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano," suffered a tear. The other, "Young Woman at the Well," had slight damage to its frame, Bessone said. He estimated their combined value at 4.2 million euros ($4.7 million).
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