£2.5 Million Stolen Books Returned After International Heist
The Met Police have triumphantly returned 240 priceless, culturally significant books worth over £2.5 million to their rightful owners. This follows a joint operation with Romanian authorities that ended a daring 2017 burglary saga.
Burglary in Feltham Leads to International Sting
In January 2017, a high-tech burglary in Feltham, London, saw rare books stolen, including works by Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, and Francisco Goya. All but four of these irreplaceable books have now been recovered.
Last month, Met detectives travelled to Bucharest to identify the recovered volumes alongside Romanian police and National Library experts. The joint effort ensured the safe return of these treasures, though some suffered damage from water, mould, and poor transport.
Four Books Still Missing, Police Appeal for Help
Among the four missing items are a 1480 Italian illuminated manuscript, a 1920 Chinese photo album, a butterfly collection, and a 17th-century Italian book, collectively worth around £31,000.
“Four books remain missing and I would ask anyone with information about their whereabouts to contact my team on +44 (0)7741703053.” – Detective Inspector Andy Durham
Criminals Brought to Justice After 3-Year Hunt
Romanian organised crime gang members transported the stolen books to Romania. Twelve men were jailed at Kingston Crown Court in October for a spree of UK burglaries.
Owners and investigators hailed the operation as a major success.
“After three-and-a-half years, finally this terrible story has a very happy ending… My special thanks go to the UK Metropolitan Police, Romanian Police and Carabinieri for this great result.” – Alessandro Riquier
Anyone with tips on the missing books can call police on 101 quoting CAD 4340/05Nov20 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously at 0800 555 111.
