Stephen Carrie Blumberg, often referred to as “The Great Book Thief of Ottumwa, Iowa,” is infamous for his massive theft of rare books. In 1990, he had accumulated a staggering collection of over 23,600 stolen books, valued at approximately $5.3 million at the time (around $13 million today). His criminal activities spanned across 268 libraries and archives in 45 states, as well as two Canadian provinces and Washington, D.C., making him the most notorious book thief in U.S. history.
Blumberg hailed from a wealthy background and lived off a substantial family trust fund. His obsession with collecting began in childhood, initially focusing on architectural artifacts before shifting to rare and valuable books. His downfall came when a friend, Kenneth J. Rhodes, reported him to the authorities in exchange for a $56,000 bounty. Arrested in 1990, Blumberg was convicted and sentenced to 71 months in prison, along with a $200,000 fine. He served about 4.5 years before being released in 1995. His collection included remarkable items, such as a first edition of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle. Despite claiming he wanted to preserve the books, his actions led to significant legal consequences.
However, Blumberg’s troubles didn’t end there. In 1997, he was convicted again, this time for burglary of antiques, indicating that his criminal tendencies extended beyond rare books. In July 2003, he was arrested for burglary at a house in Keokuk, Iowa, and subsequently convicted in early 2004. His legal issues continued when he was arrested in June 2004 for another burglary in Knoxville, Illinois, which violated his probation from the earlier conviction in Keokuk.
Blumberg’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of obsession and the legal ramifications of compulsive behavior. His life reflects a struggle with the law that persisted long after his initial notoriety, showcasing a pattern of theft that continued to haunt him.
