Book of Mormon stolen in Ariz. is recovered in DC

MESA, AZ - Federal authorities have arrested a man in the theft of a first-edition copy of the Book of Mormon from a Mesa bookstore.

Mesa police said Tuesday that FBI and U.S. marshals searched the apartment of Jay Linford in Washington, D.C., and recovered the book that's valued at about $40,000.

The edition is one of 5,000 printed in 1830.

The owner of Rare and Out of Print Books and Art in Mesa reported the book stolen on May 28 and said it wasn't insured. Helen Schlie says it's known throughout Mesa's Mormon community that her store had an original copy.

Police say the store owner knows Linford and he allegedly was in the store at the time of the theft.

Authorities said Linford sold two pages of the book in Texas for $7,500. The person he sold the book to became aware of the Mesa theft and immediately contacted the Mesa police department.

Police say Linford is being held on $40,000 bond pending extradition to Arizona.