Man Steals Antique Books Worth $20K: Police

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Police are asking for the public's help to locate and identify a man wanted for stealing two antique books from a store on the Upper East side.

The unidentified man entered PRPH Books on East 64th Street between 5th and Madison avenues and stole two rare works from a display shelf in the store's gallery, police told Patch. After taking the books, the crook slipped them into a briefcase before simply walking out of the store unnoticed, police said. The robbery occurred April 16, but police still don't know the man's identity.

The books were worth about $20,000, police said.

The robber is described as a bald man, police said. At the time of the theft he was seen wearing a gray dress shirt, red pants, black shoes and carrying a suitcase, police told Patch.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577. All tips are confidential.

Photo: NYPD