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The book bandit
BY LOUISE MALE THIS is the face of one of Scotland Yard's most wanted – who is thought to be responsible for a string of thefts from libraries and museums across Europe.
Peter Bellwood from Swillington, near Leeds, once convicted of stealing rare prints from Leeds Central Library, is wanted for questioning in connection with the disappearance of rare and highly valuable maps and illustrations from Copenhagen's Royal Library and the National Library of Wales.
The Metropolitan Police are co-ordinating the hunt for Bellwood after Danish authorities said they wanted to extradite him after the theft of eight maps dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
Circulation of CCTV pictures from Copenhagen on the internet alerted the National Library of Wales, in Aberystwyth. Maps worth several thousand pounds were stolen from there by a similar-looking man.
Bellwood, was jailed for four years in 1996 after stealing hundreds of valuable plates and illustrations cut from books from 12 British libraries. They were valued at up to 289,000.
Bellwood claimed he was addicted to stealing illustrations from rare antique books and had not made a great deal from selling them.
Among the volumes were turn-of-the-last-century Vanity Fair magazines taken from Birmingham Central Library and antique sporting books including a rare copy of The Empire's Cricketers by AC Taylor from which Bellwood took 37 prints while at Leeds Central Library.
Although Bellwood claimed financial gain was not his motivation, the prosecution alleged he made 37,000 from the thefts.
Speaking before his sentencing in an earlier court case, he claimed: "It was addictive, like a drug. You see them in the book and one minute you're looking at them, then you want to possess them."
He is believed to be living abroad and is divorced.
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said: "His modus operandi is to visit the libraries and cut out prints and maps from rare antique books dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.
"These rare pieces of history belonging to some of Europe's oldest establishments are left permanently destroyed but the maps stolen can be sold for between 500 and 10,000 to markets across the world. It is estimated that 4,500 maps of this type are missing from libraries across Europe."
Anyone who knows Bellwood's whereabouts should contact a special Scotland Yard hotline – 0207 233 4128 – or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
louise.male@ypn.co.uk
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