Elderly Thief Banned From Library (Judge Throws Book at California Man)

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. -- A judge has thrown the book at an elderly Southern California man after sheriff's deputies found about 3,000 stolen library books in his home.

The Ventura County judge banned 85-year-old Ernest Heyneman from the county's libraries for 36 months. Heyneman earlier pleaded no contest to one count of commercial burglary.

Heyneman didn't speak during his sentencing, but his wife, Emma, apologized for him.

Ventura County Sheriff's deputies say they raided Heyneman's hilltop home and found $26,000 worth of books, video and audio tapes and CDs from the Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley libraries.

Police say Heyneman would check out items, remove their security strips, then return them.

When the books or tapes were back on the shelves, Heyneman would steal them without setting off alarms.

84-year-old Californian
Faces Library Theft Charges
An octogenarian was slated to appear in court January 22 on charges of stealing more than 3,100 items from the Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks libraries in California. Ernest Heyneman, 84, of Simi Valley, is charged with allegedly stealing some $26,000 worth of materials from the two libraries.
According to investigators, Heyneman would check out materials, remove their security strips at his home, and then return them to the library. After the items were reshelved, he would take the desensitized materials, which went undetected by sensors. Library officials discovered the scheme when Heyneman turned out to have been the last person to borrow a large number of missing books. Officials then examined his most recent returns and found their security strips missing.

Prosecutors say they won’t ask for jail time because of Heyneman’s age and clean record. Instead they may request his banishment from all county libraries.

Thousand Oaks Library Services Director Steve Brodgen told the Associated Press January 14 that staff felt betrayed “to know he was doing this” when Heyneman was “so friendly and kind to people there.”

deputies say they raided Heyneman's hilltop home and found $26,000 worth of books, video and audio tapes and CDs from the Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley libraries.

Gots to have a lot of bucks to be living in his hilltop home. Hit him heavy in his pocketbook.

staff felt betrayed “to know he was doing this” when Heyneman was “so friendly and kind to people there.”

In my experience, petty thieves are often 'friendly and kind.' They use this genial facade to disarm and distract their victims.

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