Continent-Wide Heist of Rare Russian Books Linked to Georgian Crime Network
An unprecedented, coordinated theft of over 170 rare Russian books, valued at more than £2.5 million, across Europe has been linked to a Georgian crime network, with investigations revealing potential connections to Russian book dealers and raising questions about state involvement.
The thefts, which began in spring 2022 and continued through 2023, targeted libraries in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, the Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Poland. Thieves typically used fake identities to request valuable first editions of works by Alexander Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol, and others, often swapping the originals for low-quality forgeries. “In terms of scale and sophistication, we have never dealt with anything like this before,” said Laura Bellen of Estonia’s southern district court. The thefts highlight vulnerabilities in library security and the growing risk to cultural heritage amid geopolitical tensions.
Key to unraveling the scheme was the arrest of Beqa Tsirekidze, a Georgian citizen with a history of theft, in December 2022. Further investigation, aided by a joint investigative team formed by Eurojust in March 2024, led to the arrest of several other Georgian nationals, including Ana Gogoladze, who confessed to stealing books in Warsaw after being contacted by her husband, Mate Tsirekidze. Gogoladze testified that she and her husband were provided with fake IDs and forgeries, and that the stolen books were ultimately sold for a fraction of their true value. The case has drawn attention to the illicit trade in rare books and the challenges of recovering stolen cultural artifacts – a problem exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine and strained relations with Russia. For more information on the impact of conflict on cultural property, see UNESCO’s work on protecting cultural heritage.
While the immediate network of thieves has been identified, investigators are still working to determine who commissioned the thefts and whether the operation was state-sponsored. Evidence suggests a potential link to Maxim Tsipris, director of Moscow-based online bookstore Staraya Kniga, though he has not responded to inquiries. Polish prosecutor Bartosz Jandy stated, “It’s impossible that a group of thieves initiated this action without the involvement of a state.” The investigation continues, with authorities seeking to recover the stolen books and understand the full extent of the operation, as detailed in Headlinez News’ ongoing coverage of the case.
Officials say they are working with international partners to improve security measures at libraries and prevent future thefts, but recovery of the original volumes remains unlikely in the current political climate.
