Daniel Lorello, an archivist with New York’s department of education, was arrested this week and charged with “grand larceny, possession of stolen property and fraud” for allegedly “stealing hundreds of historic documents, many of which he sold on eBay.” Lorello pleaded not guilty, but investigators countered by releasing a written statement from Lorello in which he admitted to stealing as many as 400 items. Ah, the wily archivist, foiled by a letter from his own past!

Among the missing documents were an 1823 letter by U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun and copies of the Davy Crockett Almanacs, pamphlets written by the frontiersman who died at the Alamo in Texas.

He was found out by an alert history buff who saw the items posted on the online auction site and alerted authorities, the state attorney general’s office said in a statement.

The article says that “eBay is cooperating with state officials in the probe,” so we imagine you’ll be getting an interesting email or phone call if you happened to have “won” any of Lorello’s antiquities.

“Man arrested in eBay sale of historic documents” [Reuters]
(Photo: Getty)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.