Evidence is pretty strong that the late Barry Halper commissioned and/or orchestrated thefts from the NYPL and Boston Libraries, and also municipal archives (Wills signed by HOF players etc). However, he mostly was in this game before these things achieved the sort of insane values that they now have. But it goes to show that wealthy uber-collectors are not above theft to augment their collections.
I agree that whoever did this was likely "hired" by a high-end collector, and if so, the stuff will vanish for years, maybe forever. Anyone smart enough to pull off a "professional" heist like this isn't dumb enough to start peddling this stuff via ebay or the major auction houses.
Another interesting thing is the comparisons to art thefts. Art is much more a "global" market than baseball memorabilia. I doubt a Saudi prince or French hedge-fund manager even knows or cares who Yogi Berra is, but of course they would know who Picasso is.
Hence, if it is a private collector who commissioned this theft, it is likely a wealthy, white, male, American, baby-boomer age person who wanted the stuff for their own sick gratification.
Poor Yogi. I live in north NJ and have friends who have "run into" him at restaurants and such and said he is the nicest person you could ever want to meet. I bet this breaks his heart, he was so proud of the Center and it did great things in the community. I hope they catch the scumbag behind this and he serves some real prison time.
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