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Library thief gets 10-year jail sentence

Rocky Mountain News

Published July 9, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Thomas Pilaar

Thomas Pilaar

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A book bandit who checked out hundreds of books and DVDs from area libraries and then sold them online will be going to prison.

Thomas Pilaar, 34, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $53,549 in restitution. He pleaded guilty to theft in May.

Last August, Pilaar was arrested on an unrelated probation violation, after the Denver Public Library's security unit began investigating him.

Pilaar was accused of using his own and other people's library cards from Denver, Douglas County, Aurora and Littleton to check out books and DVDs, which he later sold on Craigslist.

About 1,400 books and DVDs were taken by Pilaar, of which only 500 items were recovered. The restitution covers the amount of losses suffered by all the victimized libraries.

Denver Public Library last year estimated its losses at $35,000, while Douglas County reported that Pilaar had $11,000 worth of overdue materials, mostly pricey coffee-table books and DVDs.

Comments

  • July 9, 2008

    3:40 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    LOUIE writes:

    So where does the library thief getting 10 years fit in with the story on the Cherry Creeck Arts Festival? Has somebody's been hitting the bottle in the editors bottom desk drawer again?

  • July 9, 2008

    3:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    rappaport writes:

    I was wondering the same thing! "Sensationalism" at it's best!

  • July 9, 2008

    7 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    7_ogNiOj writes:

    Restitution, fines, probation, etc., sure. 10 years of someone's life for stealing a few thousand books and dvds? I don't think so. Our "justice" system is a joke.

  • July 9, 2008

    10:15 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Scott writes:

    The length of the sentence is totally asinine. In another article, http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news... , a violent sex offender only got 18 months for "flashing"! Note that the judge in the flasher case wanted to give that democrat more time, but couldn't do to sentencing rules.

    So in the library case it looks like the People's prostitute (DA) and the pimp (judge) are trying to make a name for themselves. They sure did. Another example of what type of excrement the legal racket draws.

    O.K. lawyer lovers. Tell me why I'm so wrong about these members of the Colorado Brothel Association. Also note that in the case of the sex offender I referred to the judge in a respectful manner. At least Judge Oeffler appears to be human.

    Scott

  • July 9, 2008

    10:26 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    plotz writes:

    They probably gave him 10 years due to a prior conviction...but still it is too much. Does the fact that he sold stolen goods online and more than likely over state lines make the case worse?
    In a way, this is laughable...libraries on a routine basis have too many books and the like and end up selling the excess in sales or in a couple of cases outright pitching them in the trash. He could have waiting until the sales to buy them cheap and then sell them online.

  • July 9, 2008

    11:25 a.m.

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    YourNeilness writes:

    What a hilarious racket this guy had going. I wonder if he disclosed the fact that these were library books in his online advertisements. Or if he somehow masked or removed the "property of" stamps/tags on them. How about the purchasers of these items, can they get their money back if they give up the goods?

    I would bet that his history and the interstate commerce laws contributed to the length of the sentence. It's probably a fully justifiable length if we had all the facts. $53K, that's a lot of library books! What a riot.

  • July 9, 2008

    1:22 p.m.

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    happymike44 writes:

    What a idiot to rip off the libraries of books.
    He needs to be tied to a post and allow the librarian's to smack him with books till he pleads for mercy.
    The reason we have libraries is so every person who can not afford to buy a book can read one for free.
    This guy needs to be dragged over boken glass and a gravel road bucknaked and then sprayed with rubbing alcohol.
    Wonder will the prison liberarian give him a card.
    Hope he returns his books on time or he will have a lovely time getting shanked.