Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: The FBI’s Art Crime Team helps recover a rare first edition of the Book of Mormon.

Gregg Horner: It was printed in 1830.

Halpern: I’m Mollie Halpern of the FBI, and this is Gotcha. The book was reported stolen from the owner of a rare book store in Mesa, Arizona. The FBI worked with other federal and local law enforcement agencies to track down the suspected thief who was thousands of miles away in Herndon, Virginia. Special Agent Gregg Horner is a member of the FBI’s Art Crime Team…

Horner: We were able to execute a search warrant at the house where the gentleman was staying and we recovered the book among his possessions.

Halpern: The Art Crime Team is made up of special agents who have received specialized training in art and cultural property crime investigations. The 14 special agents are assigned to FBI field offices across the country.

Horner: The FBI has an Art Crime Team because things such as the Book of Mormon and other unique artifacts are really part of our cultural heritage and need to be enjoyed by everybody—not just one person.

Halpern: This has been the FBI’s closed case of the week.