'Harry Potter' first edition worth £40,000 among super rare books stolen from warehouse

Isobel Hamilton
Updated

Between 11:50 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 8, and 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, two thieves forced entry and made away with a collection of rare and valuable first editions from SN Books' warehouse in Thetford, Norfolk.

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Titles stolen include:

  • A hardback first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone worth around £40,000 ($55,522).

  • A first edition of The Hobbit from 1937 worth around £7,000.

  • A hardcover signed first edition of The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett, worth about £9,000.

  • A set of four first editions of Winnie the Pooh in a black custom box worth around £5,000

  • A first impression of The Great Gatsby from 1925 worth around £2,000.

  • Paperback copy of A Brief History of Time from 1983 with a thumbprint signature by Stephen Hawking.

  • Two first editions of The Gunslinger by Stephen King worth around £2,000 each.

General manager of SN Books Josh Laffar described the first edition 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' as  "the Holy Grail of Books" and "the most collectable book in the world at present."
General manager of SN Books Josh Laffar described the first edition 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' as "the Holy Grail of Books" and "the most collectable book in the world at present."

Image: Matt Dunham/AP/REX/Shutterstock

This edition of 'The Hobbit' was among the titles stolen.
This edition of 'The Hobbit' was among the titles stolen.

Image: SN books

"They spent 26 minutes in the building committing the burglary but only took a very small amount of books," said General Manager Josh Laffar in a press release sent to Mashable. "They therefore knew what to take but didn't know where it was."

"We are a small business and these books were essentially our companies savings account. These are the only books we had of this value and this will affect all of staff."

"These books are very rare and in some cases unique and not the sort of thing you see every day," said PC Gideon Weigelt-Holmes of the Norfolk police in a statement. "I am urging people, especially book dealers or those working in specialist book shops to be vigilant in case they are offered for sale."

So if you spot any super-valuable first editions pop up on eBay, maybe give Norfolk police a ring.

Anyone with information should contact PC Weigelt-Holmes at Thetford Police Station on 101.

Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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