February 15, 2001
CONTENTS:
- A serious theft has occurred at the Copenhagen Royal Library
- Re: museum security (Steve Keller)
- Man Killed in Fall at Metropolitan Museum
A serious theft has occurred at the Copenhagen Royal Library.
Tuesday, January 30 and Wednesday, January 31, in several of the reading rooms, all of which have both staff and video surveillance, a man of foreign background, presumably English, managed to mutilate, i.e. cut out 11 valuable maps, a number of bound folio atlases and works of descriptive geography found in the older collections of the library. Each of the maps, which were found in folio works printed between 1600 and 1650, is marked individually with the stamp of the library. The maps are not of an exceptional nature, but are still maps of great antiquarian value on the international market, especially if sold individually. Two are maps of the world, and nine have America as the central motif. The sequence of events is completely clear, but the perpetrator, who may be one of a band of three men in their forties or fifties, has not yet been apprehended. The theft was carried out most professionally in almost every way, and despite intensive surveillance, the perpetrator succeeded in a way that bears similaritities to an advanced form of subterfuge. In all reading rooms there is, in addition to surveillance by personnel, constant video surveillance by several cameras, and these security measures have provided both a clear description of the perpetrator and sufficient evidence of his efforts. The library is thus in possession of photographic documentation of the perpetrator and the stolen maps. Had such a theft or a similar mutilation taken place prior to the remodeling of the Royal Library, solving the matter would have been considerably more difficult without the current security systems. The case is being handled by the Copenhagen Police Department.
Can you help us?
photograph of a possible suspect
From: IntlArtCop@aol.com
Subject: Re: museum security
With numerous areas of the U.S. about to get new telephone area codes, I'd like to suggest that museums in affected areas should contact their alarm service provider and verify that this will not cause problems with their alarm system. If your alarm system is supervised to the required Grade AA to UL standard 1610, then it probably does not dial an 800 number. If it is supervised to a lower standard it may dial an 800 number or a conventional area code. 800 area codes will not change. If the area code of your central station changes, your alarm may not reach them. If your central station is located any distance away, your dialer probably dials an 800 number. But if you use a local central station and your area code is changing, theirs is also probably changing. You will need to re- program the number so it dials the new area code. You probably have a 6 month grace period where both the old and the new area code will work. But don't wait until the last minute. My area code will change in March to 386. Both the old and the new area code will work for several months. Our new area code will be indicated on our web site soon after the change occurs because we have tons of printed materials out there with the old area code indicated. But if you can't remember my area code after the changeover and get turned away by the recording, remember that we are located on the Florida "Fun Coast", so 386 translates to FUN on the phone dial. If we are on the fun coast, why am I in the office at 1:41 am?
Steve Keller
Security Consultant
Man Killed in Fall at Metropolitan Museum
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
23-year-old air-conditioning maintenance worker fell to his death from the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art yesterday morning while performing a regular weekly inspection, the police said. It was not clear how the man fell, said Detective Robert Samuel, a police spokesman. His name was not immediately released. Videotape from security cameras showed that the man was on the roof above the Asian galleries about 10:30 a.m., inspecting the circulation system, as he has done every Monday for the last two years, said Harold Holzer, a spokesman for the museum.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/13/nyregion/13MUSE.html