EMI has brought suit against their cleaning company, Crystal Services, for allegedly throwing out rare Beatles photographs worth well over $1 million. The discarded memorabilia, which had been kept in an office in Manchester Square in London, included the only surviving copy of the photo used for the Please Please Me album cover and 452 transparencies and negatives.

The suit alleges that despite placing the photos in cardboard boxes clearly marked "Not Rubbish - Do Not Remove," that "the cleaner removed the photographic material and disposed of it placing it for compaction in a waste compactor and collection by refuse collectors." EMI further claims that Crystal admitted fault, informing EMI that the cleaner was inexperienced and had only just been hired.

Crystal denies any admission of fault, stating that the employee who made those statements was incapable of making any admissions as he had no personal knowledge of the incident. The cleaner reportedly no longer works for the cleaning company having resigned in the aftermath of their error.

The lesson here kids is when you see Beatles memorabilia lying around corporate offices, let it be...just let it be.

Labels: Beatles