Map thief on the loose in Europe

The Guardian Reports Scotland Yard says it is estimated that 4,500 maps, which can be sold for anything up to £10,000, are missing from libraries across Europe.


The thieves are thought to steal to order for collectors across the world – the maps are especially sought after in the US and far east – or dealers who do not ask too many questions. The atlases they are taken from are ruined for ever.