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Suspected Book Thief Arraigned On New Counts

Jose Torres-Carbonnel, previously charged with stealing approximately $750,000 worth of rare books and book plates from the Harvard University Library, was arraigned yesterday at the Middlesex County Courthouse on 15 additional counts.

Torres was arraigned on five counts of larceny over $250, five counts of receiving stolen property over $250, and five counts of destroying library materials.

These most recent charges concern the alleged theft of approximately 330 plates and prints valued at about $250,000, said Detective Sgt. Richard Mederos of the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD).

"The additional indictments are the result of the continuing investigation of the case," Mederos said.

Torres was indicted in January by a grand jury on 16 charges of theft and malicious destruction of property.

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On February 18, a Middlesex County district judge ordered Torres to be held on $5,000 bail for his alleged theft of $750,000 worth of rare books from Harvard libraries.

Torres allegedly stole items from the Loeb Library of the Graduate School of Design, Widener Library and the Fine Arts Library, Mederos told The Crimson in January.

These most recent charges against Torres are "a result of bank records that were subpoenaed through a grand-jury process," Mederos said.

Records of Torres' personal bank account contained information about checks received by Torres for payments for prints he had sold, according to Mederos.

The information that lead Mederos to the additional items was obtained during the execution of the initial search warrant last June, he said.

The HUPD search of Torres' apartment resulted in the discovery of $500,000 in books, plates and prints.

Information indicating that about 200 additional items had been shipped to Granada was found during the search.

With the aid of INTERPOL, an international policing system, the shipment was confiscated by police in Granada.

"Additional information may come to light in time that could lead us to other items," Mederos said. "At this point what he has been charged with is all that we have been able to recover so far."

Mederos said that for the last four or five months he has been "going back and forth with the individuals who possess the stolen items."

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