Rio Libraries Post Suspect's Photo as Rare-Book Theft Ring Probe Widens

Brazil's Federal Police launched Operation Hidden Page (Operação Página Oculta) on Tuesday, 11 June, targeting the receivers of rare books stolen from Rio de Janeiro's historic libraries — and two of the city's most important institutions have responded by putting a suspect's face at every security checkpoint.

The National Library Foundation (Fundação Biblioteca Nacional) and the Royal Portuguese Reading Room (Real Gabinete Português de Leitura) have adopted strict security protocols to protect their rare-book collections from specialized criminal gangs. The measures include visual identification of suspects and constant surveillance of researchers.

Who is under investigation?

Police are trying to identify who received materials stolen by Laéssio Rodrigues de Oliveira, arrested in May. During the investigation, federal agents found evidence that criminals attempted to recruit an employee of the Real Gabinete Português to facilitate access to the collection.

The institution said it was caught by surprise. It declared it had no knowledge of either the recruitment attempt or any stolen works — a claim the police operation now puts under pressure.

How are the libraries responding?

At the Real Gabinete Português, security now operates 24 hours a day with cameras and guards. The collection holds 350,000 titles, including thousands of rare works — among them the first publication of Luís de Camões's epic poem Os Lusíadas.

Library coordinator Orlando Inácio said a photograph of Laéssio is shown to every member of the security staff as a working prerequisite. The National Library follows the same system, posting wanted notices of Laéssio and possible accomplices at its entrance.

The National Library has reason for vigilance. Maria José Fernandes, general coordinator of the Center for Collections and Reader Services, said the institution suffered serial thefts between 2004 and 2010, losing 102 engravings, 700 photographs and editions of the children's periodical O Tico-Tico.

What does this change for researchers?

Access is now slower and stricter. The National Library has digitized part of its 10-million-item collection, of which 75,000 pieces are rare. In-person consultations require an appointment booked at least 48 hours in advance through the gov.br platform. Readers work at individual tables, and staff accompany the visitor at all times.

The security system also includes updated inventories and computerized tracking that registers every movement of every item — closing the gaps that earlier thefts exposed.

Is this an isolated problem?

No. The tactic of criminals posing as students or researchers to replace original works with replicas is common worldwide, according to the investigation. In 2022, two men swapped eight 19th-century Russian books with fakes at the University of Tartu in Estonia.

Rio's libraries hold some of the most valuable printed heritage in the Portuguese-speaking world; the police operation signals that the trade in stolen rarities reaches deep into legitimate research settings, and that every reader will now be watched accordingly.