The Lourve Heist: How forensic DNA Evidence is being used to solve the case

 

Following news of a heist at one of the world's most famous museums, there has been intense pressure on French authorities for answers as the world awaits justice. The suspects, who left the heist with $100 million of irreplaceable history in broad daylight, are currently among the most wanted thieves. The New York Times article, “Arrests in Louvre Heist Show Power of DNA Databases in Solving Crimes”, illustrates the vast size of the French government's DNA database and its effectiveness in efficiently tracking down those involved in the Louvre heist. In less than a week, police were able to track down three suspects in the case, each of whom left traces of DNA at the scene of the crime. After collecting 150 forensic samples from the scene, the police were able to match the DNA profiles of the three suspects with those in the French DNA database. All of the men were already in the DNA database for previous crimes involving theft. A criminal lawyer, Gaëtan Poitevin, involved in the case, states, “I am convinced that we would not have found these people if the DNA that was found at this theft hadn’t matched with this database.” This demonstrates the vast and intricate nature of the French DNA database, encompassing both convicted and suspected criminals. The database, the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), had over 4.4 million profiles at the end of 2024, becoming a staple in both active police investigations and cold cases. This database began as the result of several serial murderers in France- and has now been used to tie countless crimes to the suspects who committed them. In America, a similar database is used for criminals; however, American police have access to commercial genealogy sites, including GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA. While these commercial databases have been used to solve crimes, the technique is a controversial one, as several argue that it is a breach of privacy for both individuals and their family generations. An article discussing the ethics surrounding the use of commercial genealogy sites states that users of these sites do not clearly consent to their genetic information being accessible to criminal investigators. Criminal genealogy use is effective and is utilized for justice; however, it should be appropriately utilized and obtained with consent before being adopted more widely.

The practice of forensic DNA use in crimes is a relatively recent development, having been curtailed within the last 30 years. It is useful and has changed the entire face of the justice system. Without it, cases like the Louver Heist could not have made such adequate progress in the face of such a historic tragedy. While using commercial genealogy is a valuable tool in solving crimes, individuals signing up for the service should be given informed consent and know that their genetic data may be used in police investigations.