The fan community around the Harry Potter franchise is a rabid one indeed, as fans scramble for as much as the can get from the series. JK Rowling, the author of the books, has also remained active with the community, releasing new content, interacting with fans, and even apologizing for killing off certain characters. Some fans may have even taken it too far, as a recent theft in Birmingham seems to suggest. Thieves made off with some one of a kind Harry Potter memorabilia, and police are searching for any leads to get it back.
According to the New York Times, the item in question is an 800 word Harry Potter prequel story penned by Rowling herself. It was sold at a charity auction in 2008 for 25,000 pounds, the equivalent of just over $32,000. Some jewels were also stolen during the same burglary. Rowling took to Twitter to encourage anyone with information to come forward, as well as urge people not to trade in stolen art:
PLEASE DON'T BUY THIS IF YOU'RE OFFERED IT. Originally auctioned for @englishpen, the owner supported writers' freedoms by bidding for it. https://t.co/ljEQyyj9yY
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 12, 2017
Police have asked anyone with details about the stolen manuscript to contact them here. The West Midlands Police are looking for any leads that might help them recover the valuable stolen property.
The Harry Potter prequel story in question is set a short time before the birth of the titular character. It focuses on Harry’s father James and godfather Sirius Black, who are both arrested by muggle police and eventually have to escape on broomsticks. The buyer was planning to have the story resold at another charity auction in the future.
Have you ever purchased something outrageously expensive from your favorite movie/book/video game? If so, what did you do to safeguard it? Let us know in the comments below.
