Stolen first-edition 'One Hundred Years of Solitude, retrieved in Colombia

The Colombian police announced Friday that a stolen first-edition copy of "One Hundred Years of Solitude," Nobel prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez's most renowned novel, has been recovered.

The book, stolen from the International Book Fair of Bogota last Sunday, was found inside a box of a street book sales and then donated by its original owner to the national library on Friday, said the Bogota police department of the capital administration.

The book, first published in Buenos Aires in 1967 when Marquez lived in Mexico, was founded by a book salesman not knowing who had left it there.

After receiving the book from Police Director Rodolfo Palomino, its owner Alvaro Castillo announced the donation decision.

Castillo said the book belongs to the country even though it has a special handwriting of Marquez saying "To Alvaro Castillo, the old-book seller, as yesterday and forever, your friend, Gabo."

"This book does not belong to me but to my country. I will donate it to the national library. After it was stolen, I could see the outrage across the country and called on thieves to return it, just by then it became a patrimony of all," Castillo said.

Police said the return of the stolen book will not end the crime inquiry as it still remains statutory for them to capture the thief who could face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.