Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Tonya Papanikolas and Paul Nelson ReportingEmployees at the Institute of Religion are celebrating after learning two rare Books of Mormon stolen from the building last fall have been recovered.
The books were held in a small safe at the school when students weren't looking at them. Last October, that safe was stolen. The two Books of Mormon are rare editions from the 1800s: one printed in Nauvoo in 1840, the other printed a year later in Liverpool, England.
Allan Gunnerson, University Institute of Religion Director: "You only have 10 years difference from the time the first edition came out to these editions."
After the books were taken from the University, the school says they hoped they'd get them back, but it had been six months.
Allan Gunnerson: "You never know what people are gonna do. Sometimes people will cut up books like that and sell pages."
Whatever the reason for taking them, the books were left intact. Last night, Midvale and Murray police were searching a home for drugs when they found them.
Asst. Police Tony Mason, Midvale Police: "During the course of the search, we located a nylon bag that was sitting in the rafters of the garage. They checked it out to see what it was and saw it was these two books."
He says these aren't the only historic documents found in the home. Along with the Books of Mormon, police also found an extensive stamp collection containing many foreign stamps, and sheets of old Salt Lake Herald newspapers dated from the mid to late 1800s.
Tony Mason: "We were pretty stoked because this is some pretty valuable stuff."
As for the Books of Mormon, they will soon be returned to the Institute of Religion, where students can once again leaf through their pages while learning about an important period of church history.
Allan Gunnerson: "To see a copy of the Book of Mormon that was printed actually during that period of time is exciting to our students here."
Mason says anyone who knows where the newspapers and stamp collection came from should call Midvale Police. As for how the copies of the Book of Mormon ended up in this house? That investigation is underway by the University of Utah Police.
