Pittsburgh: Librarian, Bookseller Created ‘Alibis’ For Missing Carnegie Library Rare Books in Theft Scheme, Prosecutors Say

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Emails introduced at a hearing on Friday indicate, prosecutors say, that the owner of Caliban Book Shop made specific requests for items to be stolen from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s rare book room and then, when it appeared an investigation was imminent, tried to cover his tracks.
Three months after charges of theft, receiving stolen property, conspiracy and related counts were filed against former library archivist Gregory Priore, 62, of Oakland and co-owner of Caliban Book Shop John Schulman, 54, of Squirrel Hill the case on Friday was held over for Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
Both men were charged by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office in July. Prosecutors said that Mr. Priore, who was in charge of the library’s rare-book room since 1992, began working with Mr. Schulman in the late 1990s. In a statement to investigators in August 2017, Mr. Priore said he first approached Mr. Schulman, suggesting he could remove items from the library and then Mr. Schulman could sell them through his store.
Prosecutors have listed the value of stolen and damaged items at $8 million — among the largest such thefts ever reported.

Read the Complete Article (approx. 1350 words)
Additional Coverage: Men Accused in $8 Million Carnegie Library Book Heist Headed to Trial (via TribLive)
See Also: Two Men Charged with Stealing More Than $8 Million in Rare Books From Carnegie Library (July 2018)
See Also: Who Stole 314 Items From the Carnegie Library Rare Books Room? (March 2018)

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