Police are continuing their search for a valuable antique map after a notorious art thief meticulously cut it from a book and illicitly removed it from a prominent London institution, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
Melvin West, aged 73, was captured on security cameras on 26th February last year, carefully severing a map from a 350-year-old atlas before concealing it. He had specifically requested to view the rare publication within the museum's library.
The alarm was raised by museum staff when a small knife was discovered on the floor beneath a desk in the room where West had been examining the ancient book. It was quickly established that one of the atlas's twelve historic maps was missing, having been precisely cut out.
The stolen page is a renowned example of a double hemisphere world map, produced in 1684 and titled "Nova Orbis Tabula," by the distinguished seventeenth-century Dutch cartographer, Frederick de Wit.
This particular map is celebrated for its intricate artistic details, which include zodiac signs and cherubs, as well as its historical depiction of California as an island – a geographical misconception prevalent among explorers of that era.
Subsequent review of CCTV footage by detectives revealed that West had previously visited the library on three separate occasions, seemingly to survey the security arrangements. He had even registered for a library reader's card under the slightly altered name of Melville West.
Detectives successfully identified West, recognising him as a serial offender with numerous previous convictions across Europe for pilfering pages from highly valuable antique books. Armed with a search warrant, officers arrested West at his residence in Chingford on 4th March 2025.
During his interview, West remained silent on the majority of questions, declining to disclose the current whereabouts of the map or whether he had sold it. Consequently, the rare map remains unrecovered.
Detective Constable Sophie Hayes, from the Metropolitan Police’s Art and Antiques Unit, has appealed to the public for assistance. "We are appealing to anyone who has knowledge of the map’s whereabouts to do the right thing and contact the Metropolitan Police so that it can be returned to the library," she urged.
DC Hayes underscored the significance of the stolen item and the impact of such thefts. "The Caird Library is an internationally important resource, used by scholars the world over. Thefts like this mean the only people who profit from these beautiful artefacts are the thieves themselves," she stated, adding, "This case demonstrates our determination to bring offenders to justice."
(Picture: Universal Images Group Editorial)
A spokesperson for Royal Museums Greenwich conveyed their satisfaction with the outcome of the legal proceedings. "We are pleased the criminal case, on which we co-operated closely with the Metropolitan Police’s Art and Antiques Unit, has been brought to a close," the spokesperson commented.
West, whose address was given as Old Church Road, Chingford, was formally charged on 23rd February 2025 with theft, criminal damage, and possession of a bladed article. He was subsequently sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, 22nd October, after entering a guilty plea at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 19th May.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the judge imposed a stringent 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order, which prohibits West from being unsupervised in any reading room within a museum or library across both England and Wales.