Stephen Blumberg Book thief-bibliomaniac Country: USA

1. A Biography of Stephen Bloomberg
2. The Discovery of His Library
3. The Motive
4. The Court's Decision and Subsequent Activities
5. The Mystery of His Collection
6. Current Situation

A Biography of Stephen Bloomberg

Stephen Bloomberg, also known as the Book Bandit, is an American criminal who suffered from a rare form of bibliomania and schizophrenia. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, his passion for books began as a child when he would admire the Victorian-era mansions in his neighborhood. This curiosity eventually led him to antique stores and shops with old books, and he soon found himself frequenting university libraries and leaving with books in his backpack. This marked the beginning of his uncontrollable obsession with collecting rare and valuable books.

The Discovery of His Library

Stephen's criminal activities came to light in the 1990s when he was arrested for the first time. It was then revealed that he had amassed over 23,000 rare books, manuscripts, and original notebooks, with an estimated total value of $20 million. His lawyers argued that his actions were motivated by his bibliomania, a love for books, which drove him to travel across the United States and Canada in search of rare editions. The investigators were puzzled by the fact that Stephen had never sold any of the stolen books and instead meticulously preserved them in his well-organized personal library.

The Motive

When questioned about why he stole books, Stephen unhesitatingly stated that he did it not for personal gain but to protect the rare books from falling into the hands of the government and to prevent ordinary Americans from being deprived of the opportunity to experience the true history of their country printed on aged paper. After his first arrest in March 1990, which led to the discovery of his rare book collection, public opinion was divided. Some believed that he posed a danger to the state and its people, while others sympathized with his argument that obtaining rare books from libraries was becoming increasingly difficult, resulting in the disappearance of valuable editions.

The Court's Decision and Subsequent Activities

Unfortunately for Stephen, the court's verdict was clear – he was declared guilty. He spent over four years in prison before being released, only to resume stealing books and antiquities from museums, libraries, and antique stores. Despite being arrested several times and serving additional months in jail, he continued to reappear in court. Finally, his entire collection was handed over to libraries in the United States, and some books were returned to their original locations more than 20 years after their disappearance.

The Mystery of His Collection

The books found in Stephen's possession were initially valued at $20 million, but upon thorough examination, the experts determined the collection's worth to be $5.3 million. To this day, experts remain puzzled as to how he managed to acquire such rare books and manuscripts. His collection included a copy of the first edition of Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin," a 16th-century edition of "The Bishop's Bible," and an original 1493 edition of the "Nuremberg Chronicle" bound in calfskin.

Current Situation

Stephen currently resides in Iowa, under close observation. Despite the criticism surrounding his actions, Stephen, the Book Bandit, has undoubtedly made his mark in history as the most successful book thief in the United States.