Arsen Avakov: The unique book "The Apostle" is returned to the people of Ukraine (PHOTO)
Four persons of interest in this case were detained by police in a restaurant in the center of Kiev while they tried to sell the stolen book. The malefactors are members of a criminal group that specialized in theft of antiques and worked "to the order" of potential buyers. This was announced on April 25 by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
"The Apostle” is one of the first printed books in Ukraine, published in Lviv in 1564 by Ivan Fedorov. It was stolen on May 10, 2016 from the department of early printed books and rare editions of the V.I.Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine.
For almost a year the NPU Department of Criminal Intelligence together with the SBU Department for the Protection of National Statehood have carried out a painstaking work to find the rarity.
"Complex operative activities were carried out, connections of possible suspects and intermediaries were clarified and secret operatives were infiltrated in their milieu. The investigation received information that an attempt was made to sell the book to somebody in Russian Federation", - informed the Head of MIA.
On April 25, this large interdepartmental operation of several law enforcement agencies yielded a result and the book was recovered. Four persons of interest in this case were detained by police in a restaurant in the center of Kiev while they tried to sell the stolen book. At first, "sellers" asked for 150 thousand dollars, but then agreed on “only” 100 thousand.
"However, since they have bargained with the undercover policemen they will receive not money but a prison term as a result! Right now their homes are being searched. Perhaps, as a result of this operation it will be possible to recover other stolen artifacts", - Arsen Avakov said.
Department of communication of MIA-Ukraine
