Officials said that the program putting missing library books under the Economic Crime Unit came because Tecumseh District Library lost thousands of dollars due to disappeared titles.
Lewanee County prosecutor Burke Castleberry said that the case is “not about a library book. It’s a program to recover taxpayer money.”
The Tecumseh District Library reported that it loses about $10,000 a year because of unreturned books.
Castleberry added that including items that have disappeared from facilities’ Dewey Decimal systems under the ECU program had been successful in getting thousands in fines paid.
Both Catherine and Melvin Duren pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing on Thursday, and are currently free after posting $100 bonds.