Just a few minutes back a customer came in and told my workmate that she'd seen a boy throwing books out of the side window of the library (down the back) and that he was going around to pick them up. He'd just left the library and was on his way to collect. My workmate had to stay at the desk, so I rushed outside to apprehend the lad, thinking to myself "what will I say?" and "it'll be too late, he'll have run."
Well, I wasn't wearing my glasses, but when I saw a boy with a backpack in his hand come round from the side of the library (a patch of land which is pretty much bog) I knew I'd found him. I gave him a "look" and he slowed down. (He was heading towards me, and the street. That was his first mistake.)
"Hey." I said. "Have you got some library books?" Smooth. He shook his head.
"Can I look in you bag?" I asked, although it wasn't really a question. I put out my hand. He nodded and passed me the bag. I opened it up, thinking all the while that I'd just apprehended an innocent waif. He mumbled something about "I was just getting some movies for my brother".
I opened the bag and at the top were three DVDs. One was the Transporter, one was Mandy Moore in Saved! and the third? Family Guy Season two. All three still had their red security tags in and there wasn't an issue slip in sight.
"These haven't been issued." I said. "I'm going to take them back into the library now." The kid nodded. I noticed another workmate had come up behind me, she had my back and I realised I should try and put some scaring into this kid. I figured he wouldn't give me a real name if I asked so I looked him straight in the eye and said. "If you try this again, I'll call the cops."
Then I walked away, DVDs in hand. My workmate agreed that getting his name would be difficult, so we let him go. Hopefully getting caught will put him off trying again. (He was about 11 or twelve I think.)
When I came back into the library, the customers and the workmate left at the desk were astounded. "Three DVDs" I said. Not even kid's ones.
PoF: I *jandles* Raro
CO: Fighting Crime.