Map thief led court on 'merry dance' with return promises
Melvin West, 70, was sentenced to three years in prison for stealing a rare 17th-century map from a museum library. Despite his conviction, the map remains missing, and the court noted the defendant's lack of cooperation in its recovery.
Why it matters
The case highlights the vulnerability of cultural heritage institutions and the significant loss associated with the theft of historical artifacts.
Image source, Met Image caption, Melvin West has been sentenced to three years in jail
A man who used a Stanley knife to cut a rare 17th Century world map out of an atlas at a museum library has been jailed for three years.
Melvin West, 70, sliced the map from a 1684 atlas by Dutch cartographer Frederik de Wit while viewing it at the Caird Library, part of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, in February 2025.
The map has never been found, and a judge at Woolwich Crown Court said West had led the court, police and museum a "merry dance" over where it was.
The Metropolitan Police has appealed for anyone who knows where it is to come forward.
Figure caption, Man sentenced for stealing antique map from museum in Greenwich
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