It’s an incredibly sad day for all book lovers out there, as a group of thieves have managed to steal a number of incredibly old and valuable books from a London warehouse. The heist happened in late January, and it concerned 160 books, including “De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium” by Nicolaus Copernicus, which dates back to 1566 and is worth about $268,000 alone.
Apparently, the thieves knew what they were doing, as they evaded motion sensor alarms and managed to repel 40 feet down into the warehouse through skylights before opening six specific containers. Other noteworthy pieces include a copy of Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” from 1569, as well as other books by Leonardo da Vinci and Sir Isaac Newton.
Experts believe that an influential collector might have been behind the heist, as these books would be impossible to sell to a reputable auction house or dealer. Sadly, it’s also likely that the thieves might try to cut up the books in order to make them more difficult to trace and identify.
