Museum Robber Nabbed

In the third major museum larceny at Harvard in only four months, a University summer employee will be arraigned today on charges he stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of rare illustrated book plates, prints and astrological illustrations from Harvard libraries.

Patrick J. Crowley, 29, of Cambridge, who worked as a part-time library assistant at the Observatory, allegedly stole artifacts from the Cabot Science Library and libraries at the Harvard College Observatory and Fogg Museum. Crowley will be charged with four counts of receiving stolen property at Middlesex County Third District Court, according to Harvard police and the district attorney's office.

Crowley secretly raided valuable book caches throughout the University, police and library officials said. He cut 400 or 500 pages from the texts with razor blades and stole about 40 entire volumes, according to police.

For the third time since May, a Harvard employee has gained access to and made off with valuable property from University museums.

Four months ago, James Arthur Hogue was arrested after Harvard detectives found him in possession of almost $100,000 in gems taken from the mineralogical museum. Two months ago, Gary P. Dahlstrom, a volunteer at theMuseum of Comparative Zoology, was arrested forallegedly stealing rare insects and someelectronics equipment from inside the museum,where he had been permitted to sleep.

This time, Crowley allegedly did more than juststeal on the job. He used many of the prints hestole to foster a bizarre art fetish, police said.

Crowley glued the pilfered illustrations tobaroque jewelry-box like constructions, whichexhibited meticulous handiwork and were coatedwith a clear varnish, police said. Police found 12such boxes in Crowley's home.

"Those boxes were specifically built I believeto be sold," said Harvard police Sgt. Larry J.Fennelly. "He considered it a form of art. Andthere is no doubt in my mind that he would havekept on doing this."

Donna J. Coletti, a librarian at Harvard'sObservatory, said that she hired Crowley, whoworked with her as a part-time cataloger thissummer. Crowley filed books and had access to theObservatory's rare book room during his month anda half of employment, Coletti said.

"The amount of damage he did--I don't thinkcould have been done just during his work hours,"Coletti said, adding that Crowley had access tothe Observatory's library at night and early inthe morning. Security at the observatory is "veryopen," Coletti said, because scholars andresearchers often work on projects 24 hours a day.

Coletti said the plates and illustrations wereworth "tens of thousands of dollars," and thatsome dated back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

"I don't think he really knew what the valuewas," she said, noting that Crowley sliced outprints from about 275 irreplaceable books. "Thiswas a shock to a lot of people around here."

University police first began theirinvestigation after officials from the Fogg ArtMuseum reported on August 6 that 14 of themuseum's rare books had been found mutilated,lying on a study carrel.

Fennelly, Harvard's crime prevention officer,began to probe the museum's security log books,which revealed that Crowley was using false socialsecurity numbers to enter the museum, according toLt. John F. Rooney. In one entry, Crowley enteredhis old Rhode Island phone number as his supposedsocial security number, police said.

Using information Crowley provided to gainadmission to the museum, police identified him asa leading suspect, according to Jeffrey L.Horrell, the librarian of the Fogg's Fine ArtsLibrary, and Michele M. Trifiro, chief of securityat the Fogg.

"Lt. Rooney and I interviewed him at hisCambridge residence and he confessed," Fennellysaid. Rooney said Crowley then consented to asearch of his house, where Harvard police foundthe cut-out plates and pictures, as well as"hundreds" of books, mounted charts andastrological diagrams.

Officers did not arrest Crowley, because heturned over the stolen goods and admitted hiscrime, police said. Instead, police served him acourt summons for today's arraignment, Rooneysaid.

Horrell said Crowley used a razor blade to cutout marbleized decorative endpapers from 13 of theFogg's books, including valuable, 19th-centuryperiodicals, Horrell said. Between $4,000 and$5,000 in damage was done at the Fogg, he said.

"It's wonderful to be able to have located theresponsible party, and as evidenced by thearraignment [today], the University intends toprosecute as fully as possible," Horrell said.

Crowley could not be reached for comment, aspolice did not release his address and it is notlisted.

Two of the books that police found in Crowley'sapartment were on loan to the Observatory libraryfrom the Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryInstitute in Washington, D.C., police and libraryofficials said. The Smithsonian's library securityservice contacted Harvard about the matter, but isnot pursuing federal larceny charges, Colettisaid

This time, Crowley allegedly did more than juststeal on the job. He used many of the prints hestole to foster a bizarre art fetish, police said.

Crowley glued the pilfered illustrations tobaroque jewelry-box like constructions, whichexhibited meticulous handiwork and were coatedwith a clear varnish, police said. Police found 12such boxes in Crowley's home.

"Those boxes were specifically built I believeto be sold," said Harvard police Sgt. Larry J.Fennelly. "He considered it a form of art. Andthere is no doubt in my mind that he would havekept on doing this."

Donna J. Coletti, a librarian at Harvard'sObservatory, said that she hired Crowley, whoworked with her as a part-time cataloger thissummer. Crowley filed books and had access to theObservatory's rare book room during his month anda half of employment, Coletti said.

"The amount of damage he did--I don't thinkcould have been done just during his work hours,"Coletti said, adding that Crowley had access tothe Observatory's library at night and early inthe morning. Security at the observatory is "veryopen," Coletti said, because scholars andresearchers often work on projects 24 hours a day.

Coletti said the plates and illustrations wereworth "tens of thousands of dollars," and thatsome dated back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

"I don't think he really knew what the valuewas," she said, noting that Crowley sliced outprints from about 275 irreplaceable books. "Thiswas a shock to a lot of people around here."

University police first began theirinvestigation after officials from the Fogg ArtMuseum reported on August 6 that 14 of themuseum's rare books had been found mutilated,lying on a study carrel.

Fennelly, Harvard's crime prevention officer,began to probe the museum's security log books,which revealed that Crowley was using false socialsecurity numbers to enter the museum, according toLt. John F. Rooney. In one entry, Crowley enteredhis old Rhode Island phone number as his supposedsocial security number, police said.

Using information Crowley provided to gainadmission to the museum, police identified him asa leading suspect, according to Jeffrey L.Horrell, the librarian of the Fogg's Fine ArtsLibrary, and Michele M. Trifiro, chief of securityat the Fogg.

"Lt. Rooney and I interviewed him at hisCambridge residence and he confessed," Fennellysaid. Rooney said Crowley then consented to asearch of his house, where Harvard police foundthe cut-out plates and pictures, as well as"hundreds" of books, mounted charts andastrological diagrams.

Officers did not arrest Crowley, because heturned over the stolen goods and admitted hiscrime, police said. Instead, police served him acourt summons for today's arraignment, Rooneysaid.

Horrell said Crowley used a razor blade to cutout marbleized decorative endpapers from 13 of theFogg's books, including valuable, 19th-centuryperiodicals, Horrell said. Between $4,000 and$5,000 in damage was done at the Fogg, he said.

"It's wonderful to be able to have located theresponsible party, and as evidenced by thearraignment [today], the University intends toprosecute as fully as possible," Horrell said.

Crowley could not be reached for comment, aspolice did not release his address and it is notlisted.

Two of the books that police found in Crowley'sapartment were on loan to the Observatory libraryfrom the Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryInstitute in Washington, D.C., police and libraryofficials said. The Smithsonian's library securityservice contacted Harvard about the matter, but isnot pursuing federal larceny charges, Colettisaid