If you’ve ever wondered how far someone will go for a little extra cash, look no further than Mesa, Arizona. A couple, Athena and Ian Bartlett, is facing charges of trafficking in stolen property after police say they stole hundreds of books from the Mesa Public Library and resold them to Half Price Books. The scheme reportedly unraveled when a bookstore employee noticed library labels still attached to 19 books brought in by a woman. That simple observation led to an investigation that uncovered 423 books sold between May 7 and May 14.
The couple owed more than $6,500 for unreturned books across two library accounts, according to police. They were arrested on Aug. 10 after being spotted back inside the library. Athena Bartlett allegedly admitted during an interview that the two took the books to resell them. It’s a strange case, and one that highlights how public resources can be abused when people are looking for a quick payout.
For Suncoast residents, this story hits close to home because we love our libraries here. From the Selby Public Library in Sarasota to the libraries dotting the Gulf Coast, these institutions rely on patrons doing the right thing. This case is a reminder that stealing from a library hurts everyone. What do you think the penalty should be for someone who treats a library like a free flea market? Let us know in the comments.
