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High tomes: monks bedevilled by agile thief's love of books (thief found map of secret passage)
The Guardian via SMH ^ | June 21 2003 | By Paul Webster in Paris

Posted on 06/20/2003 10:02:58 AM PDT by dead

To the monks of Mont Saint-Odile, perched high in the Vosges mountains in north-eastern France, it seemed like the work of the devil: during nearly two years of doubt and mystification, 1100 ancient books disappeared from the monastery library without any trace of a break-in.

On Thursday the mystery concluded when the thief, Stanislas Gosse, 33, was given a suspended sentence of 18 months for a burglary that had echoes of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose and a touch of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

The thief, who baffled priests and police between August 2000 and May last year, said he was driven by passion for the priceless books, filling his little Strasbourg flat with massive volumes dating back to the 15th century.

He had found a forgotten map in public archives, revealing secret access to the locked library from the attic.

The attic, reached by a daring climb up exterior walls, led to a steep, narrow stairway and then the secret chamber. A hidden mechanism opened up the back of one of five cupboards in the library. The plans suggested that the secret passage served in medieval times to spy on the monks' conversations.

Inside the library, Gosse spent hours by candlelight picking out volumes, some of which he stored in the attic.

The librarian, Alain Donius, called the police to report that entire shelves had been cleared. Even though the locks were changed and the library door reinforced with steel, books continued to disappear at a steady rate during the police inquiry.

Gosse told the court: "I'm afraid my burning passion overrode my conscience. It may appear selfish, but I felt the books had been abandoned. They were covered with dust and pigeon droppings and I felt no one consulted them any more. There was also the thrill of adventure - I was very scared of being found out."

The mystery was solved when police installed a video camera. As night fell they watched Gosse fill three suitcases with books.

His counsel, Cathy Petit, said her client had taken great care of the books and even restored some of them. The prosecutor said Father Donius had forgiven Gosse and told him he could come back to the library - but only through the front door.

The Guardian


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs

1 posted on 06/20/2003 10:03:01 AM PDT by dead
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To: dead
The librarian, Alain Donius, called the police to report that entire shelves had been cleared. Even though the locks were changed and the library door reinforced with steel, books continued to disappear at a steady rate during the police inquiry.

3 words. Hidden security cameras.

2 posted on 06/20/2003 10:11:45 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: HiTech RedNeck
The mystery was solved when police installed a video camera.

3 posted on 06/20/2003 10:13:20 AM PDT by dead
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To: dead
<Rubbing eyes>

Sorry. Bleary eyes thought they read that he had confessed. Surprised the camera wasn't done much earlier. You know how the pop ups used to pester everybody about those x10 cameras.

4 posted on 06/20/2003 10:17:24 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: dead
bump
5 posted on 06/20/2003 10:18:17 AM PDT by VOA
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To: VOA
Anyone here ever played the "First Person Sneaker" computer game "Thief"? I had to laught...this is Garett all the way.
6 posted on 06/20/2003 10:37:18 AM PDT by 50sDad (The only thing worse than Smurfs is CLOWNS!)
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To: dead; HiTech RedNeck
Warning: The X10 cameras are not good enough to perform their promised function. I checked them out in Fry's Electronics, and even in optimal conditions with good lighting, the image quality is fuzzy and awful.

The idea is actually pretty neat, but the execution is abysmal. Under no circumstances should anyone buy those cameras.

Hope that helps one or two people :-).

D

7 posted on 06/20/2003 10:37:36 AM PDT by daviddennis (Visit amazing.com for protest accounts, video & more!)
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To: dead
bump
8 posted on 06/20/2003 11:13:15 AM PDT by gcruse
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To: daviddennis
It figures. Any camera that uses spyware to advertise itself is automatically questionable.
9 posted on 06/20/2003 11:21:35 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: daviddennis
"The idea is actually pretty neat, but the execution is abysmal. Under no circumstances should anyone buy those cameras.

Hope that helps one or two people :-).

Hmmm Ok but you are wrong!

I have an X10 camera set that I use for security in my humble little store. I have caught several shoplifters red handed with a video tape of their act (even playing it back for the parents of the miscreants) I have consulted with the local law officials and they tell me they are definitely good enough quality for identification and would hold up in court!

10 posted on 06/20/2003 11:23:57 AM PDT by Mad Dawgg (French: old Europe word meaning surrender)
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To: All

11 posted on 06/20/2003 3:17:54 PM PDT by Soulcleaver
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To: dead; RadioAstronomer
I'm afraid my burning passion overrode my conscience.

Ah, yes, the only hobby that is also clinically recognized as a mental illness. I, too, am afflicted with the gentle madness.

12 posted on 06/20/2003 3:21:17 PM PDT by Physicist
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To: Physicist; dead
Ah, yes, the only hobby that is also clinically recognized as a mental illness. I, too, am afflicted with the gentle madness.

Both of us! :-) Why I have over 6000 books here on my shelves.

13 posted on 06/20/2003 9:50:21 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: RadioAstronomer; Physicist; dead
Ah, yes, the only hobby that is also clinically recognized as a mental illness. I, too, am afflicted with the gentle madness...Both of us! :-) Why I have over 6000 books here on my shelves.

(sigh)...vision 400/20...too much :(

14 posted on 06/20/2003 10:09:23 PM PDT by skinkinthegrass (Just because you're paranoid,doesn't mean they aren't out to get you. :)
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15 posted on 01/13/2008 10:09:08 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________Profile updated Sunday, December 30, 2007)
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