Library monitor theft caught on videotape

The library placed an old-style model where the lightweight monitor had been.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — A thief who walked off with a lightweight, flat-screen computer monitor from the main library of the Warren-Trumbull County Library on Mahoning Avenue on Saturday afternoon may have been a mystery novel fan, but police hope her act won’t be a mystery for long.

When Warren police viewed the surveillance video of the northwest section of the library — where mystery books are housed — they recognized the woman, said Robert Briel, library director.

Officers were hoping the video would lead to a quick arrest, Briel added.

Sgt. Dan Hudak, a detective with the Warren Police Department, said Monday afternoon he was still waiting on the correct videotape of the incident and had not made any arrests.

Briel said the surveillance cameras showed two people putting the monitor — a 15-inch flat-screen — under a coat and walking out the door with it. Its value is $280. A worker noticed the missing monitor when the library closed at 5 p.m. A police report just mentioned one person.

Briel said the state-of-the-art computer monitor is one of many that are placed throughout the library so that patrons can check the computerized catalog for library materials.

The mystery section is in a somewhat remote part of the building, Briel said.

After Saturday’s theft, however, Briel said the staff has gone back to an old-style monitor to guard against something similar happening again.

“We put one of the clunky, old ones there this time,” Briel said, adding that he thinks it will be less likely for someone to take one of those because they are so much heavier, larger and less desirable.

The library has 32 video cameras to monitor activities in the building, Briel said.