Man Charged with Theft of Rare Manuscripts from UCLA Library
A 38-year-old individual is facing federal charges for allegedly stealing valuable manuscripts from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) library system. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has identified Jason Wang, Alan Fujimori, Austin Chen, and Jeffrey Ying as individuals involved in this case, with some connections among them.
Reports suggest that Ying, who hails from the San Francisco Gulf area, would take manuscripts home for extended periods. Interestingly, he was said to have traveled to China shortly after the alleged theft, according to a DOJ statement.
Library staff noticed certain unique Chinese manuscripts were missing, which led to an investigation. The last sighting of the manuscripts was reportedly in the possession of Alan Fujimori.
“Due to their rarity and significance, such manuscripts are not available for general loan, requiring reservations and careful tracking,” stated the press release.
Investigators tracked Ying to a hotel room in Brentwood where they discovered blank pages that matched the style of the stolen manuscript he had checked out.
Additionally, authorities found asset tags typically used in library systems, linked to the same manuscript. Ying allegedly created a “dummy” book to cover up his thefts.
Found in his possession were two library cards in the names “Austinchen” and “Jason Wang,” along with an illegal California ID bearing the name “Austinchen.”
The UCLA Library System is recognized as one of North America’s largest academic research libraries, boasting an impressive collection of 18 million titles.
According to the DOJ, Ying is currently detained in state custody and is expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles soon.
The investigation is being led by the FBI Arts and Crime Team in conjunction with the UCLA Police Department. Ying faces charges of theft of significant artwork, a felony that could lead to up to ten years in federal prison.
The DOJ’s release also emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
