Police probe new video showing jewel thieves escaping

PARIS — Investigators hunting the gang behind the Louvre jewel heist have found traces of DNA samples in a helmet and gloves and are aware of new video showing the thieves escaping the museum, prosecutors confirmed to NBC News Thursday.

The Paris prosecutors office said it was unclear if the DNA belonged to the suspects who made off with eight pieces of jewelry from the world’s most-visited museum in Sunday’s daylight robbery that took just four minutes.

The group used power tools to shatter display cases, threatened guards and fled on scooters — leaving behind a trail of clues, including Empress Eugénie’s crown, which they dropped during the escape.

The thieves nonetheless made off with jewelry worth an estimated 88 million euros ($102.63 million), prosecutors have said. Around 100 investigators are now racing against time to find them before they possibly melt the jewels down to sell.

The prosecutors office confirmed to NBC News that it was aware of the video which emerged overnight showing the thieves escaping from the museum down a basket lift positioned on a truck. It was one of many elements of the investigation, the office said, declining to further comment.

Two men, one wearing a yellow vest and a black face covering, and a second wearing all black and a motorbike helmet, can be seen in the video quickly descending in the lift positioned at the side of the museum.

Filmed by a member of the public, at one point someone can be heard on what sounds like a walkie-talkie saying in French: “Looks like the individuals are on scooters. They are leaving, they are leaving.”

Investigators have previously confirmed the gang made their getaway on scooters from the museum, which reopened Wednesday although the Apollon Gallery from which the jewels were taken remains closed.

Laurence des Cars, the Louvre director, told senators Wednesday that cameras failed to detect the thieves in time to prevent their audacious heist.

“We did not detect the thieves’ arrival early enough,” Des Car said, according to Reuters, blaming it on the fact that there were not enough cameras outside monitoring the perimeter of the museum.

She added that she had offered her resignation, but it had been refused by Culture Minister Rachida Dati.

Zacharie Petit reported from Paris and Henry Austin from London.