Thursday, December 31, 2009

"Cambridge Ripper" Arrested For Plundering Valuable Books

A former Cambridge University student has been arrested after selectively gutting horticultural volumes worth £50,000 ($100,000US) from the Royal Horticultural Society's London library.

William Jacques, 40, who has no fixed address, will appear in custody at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court. He was arrested on Christmas Day in Selby, North Yorkshire, after more than two years on the run.

The former Cambridge University student is alleged to have stolen 13 volumes from the Royal Horticultural Society's London library. Scotland Yard said he disappeared after being released on bail by police in April 2007.

Jacques was accused of stealing Nouvelle Iconographies des Camellias by Ambroise Verschaffelt.

The volumes contained an array of colored plates of camellias by the 19th century Belgian author and explanatory text. It is alleged Jacques stole them by signing in to the library under the false name of "Mr Santoro" and then hiding them under his jacket.

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