Posted August 25, 2003.

Break-Ins Besiege Hawaii Branch

The break-in that occurred at the Wahiawa (Hawaii) Public Library over the weekend of August 16–17 was the sixth such robbery over the past year. Staff members told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that the culprit cut through a heavy chain wrapped around the lock of the iron gate at the library’s entrance. Two computer monitors, three central processing units, and a fax machine were stolen, as well as an office chair, a hand truck, and miscellaneous items.

The break-ins began last August when someone removed a panel from the window and took money from the Friends of Wahiawa Public Library’s cash box. Since then, an estimated $10,500 worth of items, including computer equipment and nearly all the library’s DVD collection, had been stolen before the most recent theft, the Star-Bulletin said August 19.

Although the latest break-in leaves the library with only three public-access computers and three for staff—down from a previous total of 15—Branch Manager Anthony Hooper doesn’t intend to replace the stolen equipment until a security system is in place. “I don’t want another computer here and have it ripped,” he told the August 20 Honolulu Advertiser. Help may be on the way: The Star-Bulletin reported August 22 that at least 10 security companies had offered to install an alarm system at the beleaguered branch.

Posted August 25, 2003.