Cambridge graduate jailed for stealing £40,000 of rare books

A CAMBRIDGE graduate who stole antique books worth £40,000 from a world-famous library was jailed for three and a half years yesterday.

William Jacques, who had been jailed previously for stealing 1 million worth of rare books in the late 1990s, drew up a "thief's shopping list" as he continued his life of crime.

He used a false name to sign in to the Royal Horticultural Society's Lindley Library in London before stuffing valuable books under his tweed jacket and fleeing, Southwark Crown Court in London was told.

Recorder Michael Holland, QC, told Jacques: "You have absolutely no intention of turning away from what seems to you to be an extremely lucrative and easy crime."

The judge added: "You are a Cambridge graduate and should know better, I suppose."

The court heard that Jacques, 41, would regularly visit the Lindley Library in Vincent Square, central London, which holds books, journals, pictures and art on practical gardening, garden history, plants and design dating back to 1514.

The rare volumes of Nouvelle Iconographies des Camellias by Ambroise Verschaffelt were taken between June 2004 — when an audit of the books was last undertaken — and March 2007, the court was told.

Jacques, of no fixed address, was found guilty of theft, relating to the 13 volumes missing from the library, by a majority of 11-1. He was also found guilty of going equipped with a Senate House card to commit theft.