Happy Monday.

[redfirecracker]

On Friday night, someone managed to outwit the security guards -- not like that's difficult -- and remain in the library after closing.

We're pretty sure that we know who the guy is.

He did this deliberately, after spending several weeks hanging out here and making friends, so that he could break into the locked cabinet where we keep the key for the cash drawer.

He took all the money in the cash drawer, most of the pre-loaded cash cards for the photocopiers, and our walkie-talkies. He also helped himself to a cell phone and a mini-cassette recorder that had been left in the lost-and-found.

There was only about a hundred and sixty-odd dollars in cash. The photocopy cards . . . I guess he'll sell them for less than their face value.

The bigger thing is the sense of invasion we all feel. We're pretty honest around here, and have seldom had problems of anything larger than the occasional unscrupulous student worker helping himself to a twenty during his shift.

No one has ever gone through so much trouble to case the library and actually steal what little money we have on hand.

Our once sacrosanct territory has been rudely violated.

Honestly -- what kind of a person steals money from a library?!?!?!

What a loser.

Comments

[lucifrix.livejournal.com]

Dude, I was here after closing on Friday. I stayed back in my office the whole time, until I left (10:30), and didn't notice anything amiss except that all the computers were on. This is creepy...I'm really glad I didn't try to go into the stacks or anything, what if I'd run into the guy??

I'm wondering now if I need to tell anyone I was here Friday.

[redfirecracker.livejournal.com]

Aw, man . . . we think the guy might even have been hanging out back in the shelving alcove or something. I dunno if you want to tell anyone . . . I could make a case for it either way.

Maybe bounce it off of Jess and see what she thinks? Linda will probably weird out over it, safety-issue-wise.

Lenore thinks it's pretty much a freak occurrence and we won't have to worry about it anymore. No one's seen the guy since Friday, so we're probably okay.

[lucifrix.livejournal.com]

I'd rather not tell anyone, since (A) I didn't see anything and (B) I don't want the L's yelling at me for staying here late by myself. I do it regularly and would rather not go through the crap of explaining why I do it, or getting told I can't do it anymore. Mostly I'm just creeped out--when I'm here late by myself I have this recurring fantasy that I run into someone while I'm out in the stacks or whatever, and I always fear what would happen.

[redfirecracker.livejournal.com]

I'll keep my mouth shut, then. :)

It IS really creepy, though.

[lucifrix.livejournal.com]

Did anyone talk to Johnny, the nighttime janitor? He came in around 10 or so.

[redfirecracker.livejournal.com]

That's an idea. I'll mention it to Jess.

[emrinalexander.livejournal.com]

Honestly -- what kind of a person steals money from a library?!?!?!

People with a drug habit to support will steal money from anywhere and anyone in order to keep the supply coming. I'm so sorry this happened!

[redfirecracker.livejournal.com]

It just seems like such a trivial amount, you know? You're probably right and it's a drug problem.

Thanks for the good thoughts!