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Rare Map Thief Gets 3 Years for Damaging Atlas
27 Oct
Summary
- A 70-year-old man received a three-year sentence for damaging a rare map.
- The stolen 17th-century map, one of three known, remains missing.
- The man has 27 convictions for 107 offenses in the UK and abroad.
A 70-year-old man received a three-year prison sentence on October 26, 2026, for cutting a rare 17th-century world map from a valuable atlas at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London. The map, one of only three existing examples by Dutch cartographer Frederick de Wit, has not been recovered. The man, Melvin West, pleaded guilty to theft, criminal damage, and possession of a bladed article. He visited the museum on multiple occasions in late 2024 and early 2025, eventually using a Stanley knife to remove the map. DNA evidence from a discarded blade and CCTV footage linked him to the crime. The judge, Charlotte Welsh, noted West's consistent failure to disclose the map's whereabouts, despite opportunities to do so, including a delay for heart surgery. West's defense cited financial difficulties and a dispute over map restoration payment, but these were insufficient to sway the judge. The court heard that West has an extensive criminal history, with 27 convictions for 107 offenses in the UK and previous sentences in Hungary and France. The judge described him as a career criminal, emphasizing the international loss and the need for immediate imprisonment to deter similar acts. The National Maritime Museum stressed the damage's impact beyond financial value, highlighting the map's historical and bibliographical significance. Detective Constable Sophie Hayes appealed for information regarding the map's location.
