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Four Convicted in Danish Royal Library TheftThree relatives and a friend of a late Danish Royal Library philologist who stole thousands of rare books, maps, and documents from the Danish Royal Library between the late 1960s and 1978 were convicted June 3 of selling some of the materials through international auction houses.Eva Moeller-Kristensen, the 69-year-old widow of a philologist who had worked in the library’s Oriental Collection, was sentenced in Copenhagen’s City Court to three years in prison, the Associated Press reported June 3. Thomas Moeller-Kristensen, his 42-year-old son, got two years; Silke Albrecht, his 33-year-old daughter-in-law, and Patrick Adam Peters, a friend, each received 18 months. The three family members have appealed the ruling. All four had pleaded innocent and claimed they were unaware the items had been stolen; however, the widow and son admitted they hid 772 books with the Royal Library’s stamp in their basement after the philologist died in February 2003. More than 3,200 books were stolen from the Royal Library over a 10-year period, including works by John Milton, Immanuel Kant, Martin Luther, and Thomas More. Their total value is estimated at some $48.4 million. Only 1,556 items were recovered when police raided the family home last November, the AP reported. Posted June 4, 2004. |
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