BIOP database

Each record describes the work (title, author, date, technique, dimensions), the circumstances of the disappearance (date, place, nature), photographs, distinguishing marks and the contact details of the person to contact. A record receives a unique identifier, linked to the OIMAP number if the work is registered.

Records are checked by an analyst before publication: consistency of information, absence of duplicates, respect for privacy. An owner may ask that their identity not be published; only the BIOP unit then knows it.

Public access makes it possible to search for a work by keywords, by category or by image, and to display the information useful for recognition. Professional access, reserved for approved operators, adds detailed data, the history of consultations and personalised alerts.

Law enforcement access gives authorised officers the sensitive information: circumstances of the theft, ongoing investigations, links with other cases. It is secured by enhanced authentication and logged.

A public database of stolen works is a powerful tool, which must remain fair. A work appears in it only after verification, and a record is withdrawn as soon as the work is found or the error established. Every person concerned may request the correction of inaccurate information.

The database complies with data protection rules: only the necessary information is published and retention is limited. An independent supervisory committee checks the operation of the BIOP each year.

Each year the BIOP unit deals with reported errors, merges duplicates and enriches records with new elements: recovered photographs, police reports, appraisal results. An internal dashboard tracks the rate of complete records, which reaches 87%.

Planned developments concern image recognition, interoperability with national databases and the opening of a programmable interface for approved platforms.