Explainer: Louvre heist & power of data
The arrest of key suspects shows the transformative impact of biometric databases
Updated At : 05:30 AM Nov 09, 2025 IST
The police collected biological traces, including touch DNA, from various surfaces at the crime scene, including getaway vehicles and discarded tools. Reuters
WHEN thieves broke into the Louvre museum in Paris on October 19 and effected a $102 million robbery in seven minutes, the French authorities responded with all the resources at their disposal. The breakthrough came courtesy the country’s advanced DNA and fingerprint databases. The police collected biological traces, including touch DNA, from various surfaces at the crime scene, including getaway vehicles and discarded tools. The traces swiftly identified the culprits. It led to the arrest of key suspects, turning the focus on vital forensic work. The iconic jewellery, though, is still missing.
