I want my book back arrested man says

Jul 14 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

A NORTH EAST man arrested over the theft of a priceless first edition of Shakespeare’s works insisted last night he was the owner of a different book.

Raymond Scott, 51, walked into Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, USA, two weeks ago with what experts say is a book stolen from Durham University Library a decade ago.

But Mr Scott – who lives with his 80-year-old mother in Widgeon Close, Washington, Tyne and Wear – says the book he had taken for verification as genuine in America is not the Durham folio.

He has been released on bail after being arrested on Thursday and questioned at Durham city police station over two days.

The first folio edition, printed in 1623 and valued by police at £15m, is said by police to be among books taken from the library in 1998. University bosses are delighted at its apparent reappearance.

But Mr Scott yesterday told The Journal the book seized by police was a different copy of the folio which he came across in Cuba through a friend of his 21-year-old fiancee.

He said: “At 3.30pm last Thursday, when I was busy pruning some roses, my mother came into the garden and said, ‘There’s some men from Durham Police here to see you’. It seems to me that they have put two folios together and come up with five. It’s not even a particularly rare book – not when there are now 250 copies in the world, known to exist in known locations.

“I’m hopeful that I will get it back, not expectant. At this particular time my legal team are endeavouring to get some world experts to examine the book.

“At the moment, it seems to me that a decade ago a copy was stolen. And a copy has turned up in Cuba. They seem to be putting the two together. Obviously Durham University want their copy back, but I want my Cuban copy back.”

Mr Scott, who says he receives incapacity benefit and carer’s allowance, says he took the book to Washington because his fiancee and her Cuban friend, whose family had owned it since 1877, could not go to America. He agreed to leave the folio with librarians in Washington and paid for an independent appraiser to look at it, only for his research to reveal it was stolen.

“He said this book couldn’t possibly go to auction,” Mr Scott said.

“He said I had to respect his professional opinion. I was gutted, completely devastated – it was a bolt from the blue.”

A worldwide manhunt was sparked involving the British Embassy in Washington, America’s FBI and Durham Constabulary, leading to the raid on Mr Scott’s home on Thursday. He was bailed until November.

He says he has seen no evidence to suggest his book was the Durham folio other than the fact it was roughly the same size and a third issue.

University vice-chancellor Professor Chris Higgins said: “The folio was identified by leading experts in the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC. The matter is now in the hands of police, who are carrying out a full investigation.”

Durham Police declined to comment.

'ECCENTRIC'

POLICE descended on the quiet cul-de-sac of Widgeon Close in Washington after a tip-off from the British Embassy in the USA.

Officers arrested Mr Scott and searched his home, removing bags and boxes full of books. The literature enthusiast was seized after a global manhunt by the FBI.

Durham Police spokesman Detective Superintendent Andy Reddick said the books taken from Mr Scott’s home were being stored at police headquarters to be inspected by experts.

He said there was no suggestion his house contained the other seven books and manuscripts taken from Durham University library in 1998.

Neighbours described Mr Scott as an eccentric loner who lived with his elderly mother, Hannah.

They said he had owned a string of high-powered sports cars which he seemed to enjoy cleaning, but appeared to prefer to take the bus.

The folio taken to the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC by Mr Scott last month is now in a climate-controlled vault.