The Hartford Courant: “E. Forbes Smiley III, 50, who lives on Martha’s Vineyard, is due to appear in U.S. District Court in New Haven on June 22 to accept responsibility for a staggering number of thefts, bringing a yearlong FBI investigation to an end.”

The Forbes Smiley case first came to our attention last August — he was arrested just over a year ago — and I’ve been following it ever since; see the Map Thefts category archive for earlier posts on the subject. Considerable credit must go to this article’s author: Kim Martineau has been the lead reporter on this case for the duration.

An interesting tidbit from this article that I didn’t know before (or had forgotten): the library had videotape of Smiley slicing a map from de Jode’s 1578 Speculum Orbis Terrarum. In other words, they pretty much had him from the outset. Indeed, Smiley has been cooperating with the authorities for months.

We’ll find out on the 22nd what charges Smiley will plead to, and what penalties he’ll face. Then he’s off to state Superior Court to face three larceny charges.

(Thanks to Paul for the link.)