In a dramatic twist following one of Paris’s most audacious robberies, the Louvre Museum has transferred some of its most precious royal jewels to the Bank of France, in a move aimed at bolstering security after last week’s shocking daylight theft.
According to France’s RTL Radio, the priceless pieces from the museum’s Apollo Gallery — home to jewels from the French royal era — were moved on Friday under heavy police protection. The Bank of France, which holds the nation’s gold reserves in a massive vault 27 meters underground, lies just 500 meters from the Louvre on the Right Bank of the Seine.
Investigations Reveal Crucial Clues
French prosecutors expressed optimism about catching the thieves, after investigators discovered more than 150 DNA samples, fingerprints, and other evidence at the crime scene.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told Ouest-France newspaper:
“We found over 150 DNA samples, along with a helmet, cutting tools, gloves, and a vest — all used by the thieves and left behind at the scene.”
Beccuau added that the analyses are being prioritized, and results are expected within the next few days, potentially revealing key leads — especially if the suspects have prior criminal records.
More than 100 investigators from specialized units for organized crime and cultural property trafficking are currently involved in the manhunt.
The Louvre was evacuated and closed last Sunday after four masked robbers stormed the Apollo Gallery in broad daylight, smashing two display cases and escaping with eight royal jewelry pieces once owned by French queens and empresses, valued at around €88 million ($102 million).
