13 volumes about camellias - hidden under a coat

Chris Smyth in The Times

A thief was arrested on Christmas Day in Yorkshire (UK). The Cambridge graduate William Jacques had stolen Ambroise Verschaffelt”s Nouvelle Iconographies des Camellias from the RHS Lindley Library - one of the world’s finest horticultural collections containing books and art on garden history from 1514 to the present day. Verschaffelt’s Iconographies belongs to the rarest and most famous works on camellias – an opus magnum with 13 volumes. “It is alleged that Mr Jacques signed into the library in Vincent Square under the name of Mr Santoro and hid the 13 volumes under his jacket ...”

Arrest over theft of £50,000 work on Camellias from RHS Library – An article by Chris Smyth in The Times

The RHS Lindley Library contains an extensive collection of literature on gardening, horticulture and plants, a unique collection of botanical art, and selected electronic resources. There are two main libraries at London and Wisley and smaller garden libraries at Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall and Rosemoor.