Group swapped rare library books for fakes, causing $2.6M in damage, Europe cops say
More than 150 rare antique books were stolen from libraries across Europe, causing millions in damage, police said. Nine people were arrested.
A group stole “at least 170 books” from libraries in nine European countries between 2022 and 2023, Europol said in an April 25 news release. The scheme was described as “straightforward yet sophisticated.”
The suspects would visit a library and request to see antique books, police said. Next, they “would meticulously measure the books and take photographs before handing them back” and leaving. Later, they would return to the library, re-request the books and then swap the originals for “outstanding” fakes.
Sometimes, the suspects “simply broke into libraries,” police said.
The scheme targeted rare books by Russian authors, “such as first editions authored by the likes of Alexander Pushkin or Nikolai Gogol,” officials said. Some of the stolen books were sold to auction houses in Russia.
In total, police said the scheme caused about 2.5 million euros (about $2.6 million) in damage.
Investigators in France caught onto the scheme first and reached out to law enforcement in other countries, Europol said. The agency soon received “reports of rare and historical books being stolen across Europe.”
Police said rare books were stolen from libraries in Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Switzerland.
Nine people from Georgia were arrested in connection with the scheme, police said. The suspects were arrested in several countries. Officials did not say what charges the suspects were facing.
Police also said they searched 27 locations in Georgia and Latvia and confiscated “over 150 books” to determine their origin. Photos show some of the books found during these raids.
The police investigation is ongoing.
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