Investigators from the French Banditry Repression Brigade, together with those from the Central Office for Combating Trafficking in Cultural Goods, recovered more evidence from the bandits who carried out the robbery at the Louvre Museum, in Paris, last Sunday (19).

According to the newspaper Le Parisien, police recovered a helmet from a motorcycle belonging to one of the criminals and also gloves worn by them. The bandits arrived on scooters, while the four robbers left on the same motorcycles. The keys to the truck equipped with an elevator, used by the criminals to access the balcony and windows of the Apollon Gallery, were also found.

A forensic analysis will be carried out to try to find marks and DNA in order to locate the criminals. A vest and equipment abandoned at the scene have already been analyzed.

Since the Louvre jewelry theft occurred, French police have begun a race against time to try to recover these artifacts before they are lost completely. However, the more time passes, the lower the chances of recovery.

Experts interviewed by the BBC highlight the difficulty and improbability due to the high chance that thieves have already altered the jewelry for sale.

The CEO of a company specializing in locating stolen art, Chris Marinello, says there is a time limit to recover any such material.

'(The authorities) know that in the next 24 or 48 hours, if these thieves are not caught, these pieces will probably already be gone,' he says.

He states that thieves will even alter the pieces to hide any relationship and evidence of the theft. In this case, even if the criminals are found, the jewelry is unlikely to be found.

Another expert, Elaine Sciolino, author of the book 'Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World's Greatest Museum', also doesn't see much expectation.

Louvre Museum closed after jewelry theft. — Photo: DIMITAR DILKOFF / AFP

She highlights that the materials could be dismantled, cut and sold on the illegal market.

'It is unlikely that all the pieces will be recovered in their current state', he says.

After the robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, this Sunday (19), the French Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, indicated this Monday (20) that he will determine the reinforcement of security schemes around cultural establishments in France.

Earlier, it was the French Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, who admitted that the French authorities failed to prevent this theft. According to him, the theft of nine jewels belonging to former royalty conveys a very negative image of France to the rest of the world.

This Monday, the French police continued to actively search for a commando made up of four men who carried out on Sunday what the French press calls the 'robbery of the century'.

The robbery took place in broad daylight, in front of visitors and security at the Louvre Museum, lasting a total of seven minutes. At around 9:30 am local time, the group cut out a window with a chainsaw. They invaded the famous Apollo Gallery and closed two windows with their faces covered.

The criminals stole nine pieces, all from the 19th century. One of them, Empress Eugénie's crown, was abandoned by the criminals in their escape. Only Queen Consort Maria Amélia's necklace, which was also stolen, has 631 diamonds.

The Louvre Museum is expected to only welcome visitors again on Wednesday, considering that the place normally closes for maintenance every Tuesday.

Crown of Empress Eugénie, stolen from the Louvre Museum and recovered by authorities — Photo: STEPHANE MARÉCHALLE/LOUVRE MUSEUM/RMN-GRAND PALAIS

Apollo Gallery, at the Louvre Museum, in Paris, France — Photo: 2020 Musée du Louvre / Antoine Mongodin