DNA, vehicle-tracking help investigators recover stolen Renoirs and makes arrests
French authorities have arrested four men in connection with the theft of two Renoir paintings from a museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer. DNA evidence and vehicle tracking were instrumental in the recovery of the art and the prevention of a suspected second heist.
Why it matters
The successful recovery of high-value cultural artifacts highlights the effectiveness of modern forensic and surveillance techniques in combating organized art crime.
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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