Book lovers and thieves

NJ Ravi Chander

BOOK thefts have frustrated libraries and bookstores for decades. People steal books for different reasons — selling, reading, collecting or taking notes. Last year, the police nabbed a Bengaluru resident in Udhagamandalam (Tamil Nadu) for stealing a 116-year-old book from the Nilgiri Library. The library office-bearers were taking stock of the books after the Ooty Literature Fest in October when they found the book missing. The library filed a complaint with the Nilgiris district police, who then started an investigation. Weeks later, the police received a tip-off about the book on social media. With the help of the cybercrime cell, they tracked down the culprit, who admitted that he planned to sell the book for a fancy price.

Years ago, I read about a renowned author who stole an Arabic book from a Cairo library, which had also digitised the book. It was a rare copy. The author read the book thoroughly and took notes. However, burdened by guilt, he returned to the library years later and admitted to stealing the book. When questioned by the librarian, the author said he was tempted because the book was unavailable in the market. The librarian let the author keep the book, but wrote in it: ‘Gifted to a worthy student who stole this book!’

An antiquarian bookseller in Bengaluru, whose shop I frequented, often expressed frustration about books going missing. It became apparent that a book thief was on the prowl. The miscreant would enter the surveillance-free store and act like he was perusing books. While the owner and his employees were busy attending to other customers, the man would make off with a book, timing his exit to a nicety. Occasionally, he would purchase books and discreetly slip an expensive one in the middle. Nobody doubted his integrity, given his polished appearance.

The thief used to conceal the books in his pocket, bag or vest before performing the vanishing act. His collection grew by leaps and bounds. But as time passed, the bookshop owner grew suspicious of his activities. One day, he saw the miscreant entering the store with nothing but leaving with a noticeable bulge under his shirt.

On being confronted, the robber pulled out the stolen book, returned it and confessed to his crime. The compassionate owner pardoned him, but advised him to mend his ways. The owner’s act had a powerful impact, transforming the thief into a reformed individual. He forged a strong bond with the bookseller and kept purchasing books from his preferred store.

However, years later, the man, now no longer a book thief, surprised the bookseller by bringing a pile of books and ‘gifting’ them to the store. His employers had transferred him to a remote town and he opted not to burden himself with the weight of these books. The elated bookseller thanked his stars for the windfall. The books had finally returned home for good.

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#Tamil Nadu