An Italian bookseller stole a signed first-edition copy of a Harry Potter book worth €1,909 by switching it with a different novel at a Piccadilly shop, a court has heard.

Rudolf Schonegger, 55, is alleged to have made the swap of Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, signed by author JK Rowling, at Hatchards in central London on New Year's Eve.

CCTV showed the alleged thief browsing the shop, before appearing to take the edition off the shelf, replacing it moments later. A copy of Late Call by Angus Wilson was found in its place.

A trial at Hendon Magistrates' Court was told Schonegger has already been prosecuted for stealing a rare book from a pop-up store at Fortnum and Mason, just yards down the road, around three hours after the alleged Harry Potter theft.

The court heard the defendant is a collector and seller of rare books who regularly visited stores in the area.

He denies a charge of theft and charges of selling a stolen bound copy of The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway, worth €798 , on December 21, and a stolen first edition of Pincher Martin by William Golding, worth €171, on December 21 or 22.

Pincher Martin had been noticed to be missing from the Hatchards store, which is part of the Waterstones company and has a section for antique books, earlier on December 31.

The Harry Potter book had been on display with a sticker stating its four-figure value. It had vanished by mid-afternoon.

Security staff were called and the store's footage scoured, revealing a man said to be the defendant inquiring about the book shortly after 2pm, then showing him making the swap.

The Harry Potter book has yet to be recovered.