French police have gathered more than 150 DNA samples and fingerprints in the hunt for the thieves behind a daring daylight raid on the Louvre that saw eight royal jewels worth €88 million stolen.

The Louvre remained closed Monday after historic jewels were stolen in a daring daylight heist. Thieves used a basket lift to access the museum, smashed display cases, and fled with Napoleonic jewels.

NBC Boston spoke to an art theft expert who is also the director of security and chief investigator at the Gardner Museum about the logistics of this heist at the Louvre and what the thieves might be planning to do with the crown jewels. The plot was carried out just 30 minutes after the Louvre opened on Sunday morning.

The theft of French crown jewels overshadowed the robbery of some $100,000 worth of historical coins from a museum dedicated to philosopher Denis Diderot.

Just days after a stunning heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris, speculation is growing around where the lavish, stolen jewels that once adorned France's royals might end up. A handful of experts warn that the artifacts valued at more than $100 million (88 million euros) could soon — if not already — be melted or broken into parts.

Does a photo show a well-dressed French detective working the case of the Crown Jewels stolen from the Louvre? No, that's not true: The original poster later said it was a "fantasy version" she did not regret posting.

The president of the Louvre admitted on Wednesday that the external video surveillance system of the establishment is "very insufficient", three days after the spectacular theft of eight jewels, an incident that revived the question about security in French museums.

Laurence des Cars told France's Senate the heist exposed the museum's camera shortage and other security 'weaknesses'.