A California library user has been charged for stealing rare Chinese manuscripts valued at $216,000, US officials announced on Thursday, reports AFP. The suspect, identified as Jeffrey Ying, 38, reportedly used multiple aliases to access centuries-old works, some of them dating back over 600 years, at the University of California, Los Angeles library, then allegedly returned forged copies in their place. He is a resident of Fremont, the Bay Area. “The library noticed that several rare Chinese manuscripts were missing, and an initial investigation revealed the books were last viewed by a visitor who identified himself as ‘Alan Fujimori,'” the Department of Justice said, reported AFP.“Law enforcement also found pre-made labels known as asset tags associated with the same manuscripts that could be used to create ‘dummy’ books to return to the library in place of the original books.”When detectives searched the Los Angeles-area hotel where Ying was staying, they discovered blank manuscripts resembling the rare books he borrowed, as per the charging documents. Officials noted that Ying would often travel to China after checking out the materials from the library. Ying was found in possession of multiple library cards issued under various names. If found guilty of major artwork theft, Ying, who is currently in state custody, could face up to 10 years in federal prison.Rare and one-of-a-kind works in libraries are typically restricted to on-site viewing and are not allowed to be checked out like standard paperbacks.China has one of the fastest-growing art markets, driven by more state-run museums and a booming private sector.
