Paris, March 3 – A judicial process has been ordered against seven individuals, predominantly of Georgian origin, suspected of participating in the theft of rare 19th-century Russian literary works from the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF) in Paris and the Diderot Library in Lyon. The original editions, notably by the celebrated poet and novelist Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), were stolen in 2023. The trial is scheduled to take place from June 9 to 12 before the 33rd Correctional Chamber of Paris.
Indictment for Organized Theft and Criminal Association
The investigating judges issued the indictment in mid-January, following a request from the Paris public prosecutor’s office on October 2. The charges include “organized theft of goods exhibited in a museum or as part of a public service mission” and “criminal association.” Two of the accused are currently incarcerated in Estonia and Lithuania, two are under judicial supervision, and two are subject to national and international arrest warrants.
Targeted Libraries: Lyon and Paris
The first reported incidents occurred in July 2023, at the Diderot Library in Lyon, affiliated with the École normale supérieure. Approximately ten rare Pushkin editions were stolen, including a first edition of his “Boris Godunov” (1825), valued at an estimated €70,000. A young man, posing as a researcher, reportedly spent several hours consulting the works before absconding with them when a librarian’s attention was diverted by another individual.
In October of the same year, the Bibliothèque universitaire des langues et civilisations (Bulac) in the 13th arrondissement of Paris was targeted. Two men reportedly broke an entrance window during the night and left with about ten books randomly selected from a shelf. Their true objective, however, was to steal Pushkin editions they had requested for consultation the previous day, which were fortunately kept in secure areas.
BNF Hit: Over €450,000 in Losses
The National Library of France (BNF) discovered in November that it had also been targeted. Nine original works were replaced by facsimiles: eight by Pushkin and one by Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841). The estimated value of these stolen items exceeds €450,000. An individual accredited as a researcher had reportedly consulted the stolen copies multiple times in the preceding months. Another man was also observed scouting the location and taking photographs.
European Network of Book Thieves
The alert regarding these thefts of rare Russian books, first raised in the summer, has been amplified due to similar burglaries reported in libraries across Europe. Investigators suspect these incidents, which occurred in countries such as Germany, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland, and Belgium, are linked to the same criminal network. These thefts are believed to be motivated by financial gain or nationalist sentiments, against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The investigation, conducted by the Central Office for the Fight Against Cultural Property Trafficking, led to the arrest of the individual who had been taking photographs, shortly after in the Doubs region. Two women from his entourage, suspected of aiding him, were also apprehended.
These incidents highlight a growing concern for the security of rare and valuable cultural heritage in libraries and museums across Europe, prompting institutions to review and enhance their protective measures against such sophisticated criminal operations.
