2 Rob Library, Seize 1726 ‘Gulliver’ Book

Armed robbers stole literary treasures from a library in the city of Armagh, among them a copy of “Gulliver’s Travels” that included handwritten alterations by author Jonathan Swift. The two robbers burst into the public library in Armagh, about 35 miles southeast of Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital, and held a gun to a library assistant’s head before tying her up, police said. The robbers then systematically smashed glass cases and stole items estimated to be worth about $165,000. Librarian Harry Carson said the 1726 book by Irish satirist Swift itself was worth $49,500 because of the handwritten notations. Other items taken included an ancient miniature version of the Koran and a 1611 Geneva Bible.