Library cards and faux copies - US man sentenced in elaborate theft of 17th century Chinese literature

Library cards and faux copies - US man sentenced in elaborate theft of 17th century Chinese literatureImage source, Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesImage caption, The UCLA Library has an expansive collection of rare books and artworkBySareen HabeshianReporting fromLos AngelesPublished9 July 2026, 03:45 BSTUpdated 1 hour agoA California man has been sentenced after stealing an ancient Chinese manuscript in an elaborate plot that included faux names on library cards and a host of equipment that prosecutors say he used to create forged copies.Jeffrey Ying, 39, was pled guilty to the theft of major artwork and was sentenced to time served, accounting for approximately one month in jail, and one year of home confinement.Prosecutors say he rented pieces of ancient literature from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) library and returned faux duplicates.Prosecutors said Ying would travel to and from China within days of the thefts.The UCLA Library, which has an expansive collection of rare books and artwork, uncovered the plot after several recently returned pieces were found to be fakes.An investigation found that the documents were checked out using aliases that were later found to be Ying's - Jason Wang, Alan Fujimori and Austin Chen. Surveillance footage showed that the missing documents were checked out by the same person.Authorities tracked Ying down and searched his hotel room near UCLA where they found blank manuscripts and paperwork that resembled the style of the books he had checked out. Prosecutors said the items were used to "create 'dummy' books to return to the library in place of the original books," according to an arrest affidavit.Between December 2024 and July 2025, Ying is accused of stealing approximately $216,000 (£161,300) worth of rare and ancient Chinese manuscripts from UCLA, according to a criminal complaint. The literature included valuable Chinese pieces dated to 1393 and another published in 1575. The document...