Mesa, Arizona: First Edition Book of Mormon Stolen

In 1830, Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith commissioned 5,000 copies of The Book of Mormon after he claimed that it was reveled to him on gold plates. One of the original copies was at a bookstore in Mesa, Arizona and now that copy is missing.

Members of the Mormon faith consider the Book of Mormon, along with the Bible, to be scripture.

Arizona Central reports that Helen Schlie, an 88 year old Mormon convert who operates a bookstore in Mesa, had owned the book for 45 years. The text came to her through a neighborhood man who was desperate for money and wound up selling all his family heirlooms.

Schlie told Deseret News she last saw the book on Friday, May 24. She had locked it in the filing cabinet, as usual, for the Memorial Day weekend. Then on Monday two Mormon ministers requested a picture with the book and she noticed it was gone.

Schlie said of the loss,

“It really hurt my heart. I’m hoping someone will bring it back, let it finish its mission.”

Mesa police Sergeant Tony Landato said of the book,

“Certainly, it is someone who had access and knowledge of it,”

Brent Ashworth, historian and owner of B. Ashworth’s Rare Books and Collectibles in Provo, told Deseret News the book is valued at about $100,000.

Ashworth said,

“Mormonism started with a book, and that’s the book. Everybody wants it. The first edition is not quite as good as having the gold plates, but it’s right next to it.