Pocono News Section

Thief Targets Library

Thief Targets Library - Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 5:30PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Thursday, Feb 21, 2008 @05:30pm EST
STROUD TOWNSHIP - You can find hundreds of Horror Stories in the racks at the Hughes Library in Stroud Township - but recently the library found itself at the center of its own scary tale.

Three times in the past month someone has tried to steal purses there. That scares library visitors. Susan Rubin said, "That's unacceptable. It's frightening and it goes to show that there are absolutely no limits to where people will go and what they will do."

On Tuesday a woman was browsing the internet when a man walked by and grabbed her purse. She was able to snatch it back and hold it against herself. That led to a scary confrontation.

"He stood up and towered over her and intimidated her by throwing his gloves on the desk - taking some paper and ripping it up the whole time glaring at her," said Monroe County Commissioner Suzanne McCool. The woman told the commissioner her story because she believes the county should help buy security cameras at the library.

The man eventually got away Tuesday - without the purse and the victim told library workers. Similar things recently happened to two other women, the robber got away with a purse once.

No one called police after any of the incidents. Library Director Barbara Keiser said, "The staff has been alerted that they should be less hesitant to call the police even if we can only just make descriptions."

Keiser also said the staff will be more cautious and security cameras could soon be installed. Even before the purse snatchings library officials planned to use grant money to put in security cameras.

Those officials say they expect to get a $10,000 grant check soon. They plan to use that to install security cameras outside. They then need to raise at least $10,000 more to put cameras inside.