Thursday, October 06, 2011

Stealing Books

A twenty-seven year old guy in Manhattan is being held at Rikers for stealing books from the library. He stole 20 books and tried to resell them to bookstores. He was busted twice in September and could face a seven-year sentence.
 Library security had banned him and confiscated three library cards he had been issued, and he was also banned from the Strand bookstore in Union Square, they said.

Hansen was already charged with trying to sneak out of the public library with 11 unchecked books.

In September 2009, he was busted in Union Square Park for cutting labels off stolen library books. Two months later, he was nabbed for shoplifting from a Barnes & Noble.

Last July, he was arrested inside Tompkins Square library while attempting to remove library books, the sources said.
Lest you think he’s just an avid reader, his plan was to sell the library books to make money for his drug habit.

Kinda makes you long for the 1950s and ‘60s when libraries were revered, doesn’t it?

24 comments:

  1. ...interesting story. One would think that if it were for drug money, that he'd first consider that stash of fifties in the drawer of his neighbor's night stand, or the safe in his father's closet. Reselling books? Well, I kind of hope my novel was in his stolen bundle of goods ;)

    What better notoriety?

    El

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very strange! I'd think he'd be looking for other ways to get income. And sad to take from a library!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Books seem like a strange thing to steal. I guess the bright side is that the libraries are being extra vigilant - and that someone is reading.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's a strange...fetish. There must be easier ways to come up with drug money!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Helen - as the others have said .. very strange - but then quite intelligent .. he'd probably done all the other 'jobs' .. I'm surprised he hadn't been to the local launderette and 'borrowed' some clothes to sell .. it's a very sad world - stealing for drugs ..

    Cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  6. He should have just stolen one book, "Stealing for Dummies" and then read it...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Stealing books to support a drug habit? Whatever happened to stealing electronics? Shoes, designer jeans, I could go on listing a whole lot of things that are WAY more valuable to resell than books.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kinda pathetic, but 7 years for a guy with a drug habit? Guess he appreciated the value of books. If only more people did!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Apparently, after he was arrested, the police read him the book.

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is really bizarre. I guess he was so strung out he forgot that there were other more expensive things he could have stolen.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The thief will get plenty of time to read in jail. I hope they have a good jail library >:)

    Cold As Heaven

    ReplyDelete
  12. I agree with Yvonne, Wish other saw the right valve of book then maybe we would have less libraries being closed down.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very odd. I wonder why books, specifically... I mean I guess the library thing probably had appeal in being able to check out books FREE for a while, but it doesn't seem like the biggest bang for the buck, as theft goes. I think if i was a drug-addicted thief I'd go for jewelry... unless of course i wanted to read the book before selling it...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Stealing books for his drug habit? He can't possibly make that much off of used books.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm guessing he thought it was the stealable item least likely to get him caught.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yikes! That is a bizarre story!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. It doesn't seem like a way to make a lot of money. Perhaps he once thought of books as something valuable and that memory survived the drug burn out.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sad, but in a way I'm surprised people never did this before.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Gee, don't I feel embarrassed ... several books in my collection have a Redford Township Library card in them from 1962.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is a new one for me. You don't make a lot of money selling used books, but then I guess if you have enough of them...Perhaps he looked at the library as easy pickins.

    *shaking my head at people today

    Sia McKye's Thoughts...OVER COFFEE

    ReplyDelete
  21. Now that is called desperation.

    ReplyDelete
  22. You can't make much selling used books, but they were likely convenient to him. Lots of homeless folks spend time in our libraries. Loved the idea that he should have stolen "Theft for Dummies!"
    I have to say, Helen, that we still love our libraries in Boise. Have two new branches and another on the way. (Although we didn't get funding for remodeling the main library.)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Helen, this story reminds me of two related stories/incidencies. A few years ago, a renown professor/scientist (can't remember his name) in Switzerland was arrested for stealing an enormous amount of valuable books, not for drugs though, but because he loved books and didn't have enough money to support his huge book fetish. He was contrite, gave most of the books back, and made amends. The judge, an educated man who loved books, gave him a light sentence.

    I read the wonderful novel by the young, talented Australian author, Markus Zusak, "The Book Thief." Great book, highly recommended!

    Christa

    ReplyDelete
  24. Interesting story Christa! I hope the professor/scientist learned his lesson - and got a library card!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...