Ypsilanti police arrest suspect in naked book theft from library
Ypsilanti police say they caught the naked man who stole children's books from the Ypsilanti District Library last week.
The man is jailed, and police are seeking charges of indecent exposure, larceny from a building, and felony resisting and obstructing.
Police said the man, who is on parole, was identified today.
He is accused of entering the library branch on Michigan Avenue last Thursday and asking an employee for help selecting children's books. The employee told police she returned to her desk, and the man stepped out from behind a bookcase naked.
The man "thrust his hips in the direction" of the woman, but didn't make any other movements toward her, the release said. He fled as she called police.
Officers went to the suspect's home today, but he wasn't there, so they left a business card, the release said. The man showed up at the Ypsilanti Police Department at about 3 p.m.
But when he was asked to step into the back of the station from the lobby, the man bolted, the release said. Officers gave chase and caught him in the 400 block of Ferris Street.
The man was questioned and was then transported to the jail to await arraignment, police said.
Police officials did not have additional details this evening, including how the man was identified or his previous conviction.
Comments
paroleeplanet
Thu, Mar 25, 2010 : 7 p.m.
you all can sit there and joke about the MPRI program, thats all well and good. But the fact is, you can't afford to keep everyone locked up, close some more schools, let the roads get worse, lay off some cops or raise taxes. Which do you prefer? Say what you will, but the mpri has been an enermous sucess story. Are there going to be hardheaded folks who refuse to accept the help that is offered, of course. That does not mean that the mpri doesn't have an enermous impact on this community. prisons let people out everyday, this clown was going to be paroled antway, mpri or no mpri, he had done his minimum sentence, he wasn't released early,so whats with the mpri cracks? noone gets out of the mdoc before there sentences are done, there are no early releases in this state.
memyselfandi
Thu, Mar 4, 2010 : 12:21 p.m.
Re: Comment by Phineas Gage IV. I have been intrigued by this particular case because it is rather complex...it really leaves you saying "What on earth is involved in this case and what on earth was in the mind or such a person?" This "Crim" is such an interesting piece or work, I loved your comment "more than likely couldn't read the books and liked looking at the pictures". That tends to add an explanation for the rationale as to why he took children's book's. Mental Illness (exactly what type and where at in the range of 0 to 10 in degree of seriousness is another unknown factor) but probably plays a part to a greater or lesser degree. On parole is another part (what was his offence at the time that he was sentenced to prison...remains, yet, a missing piece to the puzzle). I also find it interesting as to why certain decisions are made in the Corporate World and/or Government. Often decisions are poor or poorly thought out and if the decisions were made by individuals....those particular individuals would be found to be suffering from some sort of Cognitive Disorder, Mental Illness, Delusions, Narcissism, Lack of Empathy, Sadism, Masochism, Low IQ, Learning Disability, Mental Incompetence, or of Being Out of Touch With Reality as it exists. I see something quite dysfunctional within the creation of the Michigan Prisoner reentry Initiative. Exactly which of the above possible reason's was at play (en mass) is still another unknown factor...but it seems to me that those people "do not seem to have both oars in the water"....or someone with ultimate decision power is "absolutely not playing with a full deck". Hey, why don't we pass a law that says "any and all negative consequences resulting from the decision's made by any and all member's contributing to (??????), will be held personally and financially liable for any and all negative consequences to any and all parties who suffer (directly or indirectly) from the implementation of this (law, policy, bill, program, mandate, etc.) It is so fun to imagine all that would ensue.
breadman
Wed, Mar 3, 2010 : 9:32 p.m.
Was He butt naked in a corner reading his free books?
RudeJude
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 4:33 p.m.
Oh, won't somebody think of the children?
Vernice
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 1:56 p.m.
I'm pretty sure referring to the man as "naked" in the headline makes it obvious that he wasn't wearing ANYTHING. Were you just looking at the pictures?
Phineas Gage IV
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 1:46 p.m.
There is no mention of whether or not the suspect was wearing britches or not--regardless this obvious product of Detroit Public Schools more than likely couldn't read the books and liked looking at the pictures.
RoboLogic
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 11:58 a.m.
Maybe now we'll get to the naked truth. Black Coffee:) said... "He likes books...throw the book at him." LOL The only thing that would make it any more amusing is if some of the books were about nudism.
jj
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 11:16 a.m.
Will the books be "flagged"? (See Seinfeld)....
Mark Hergott
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 11:05 a.m.
The guy is clearly nutty. Whether he is diagnostically nutty is another question entirely. Any way, the cost of dealing with him is going to be steep. Maybe they can pay for it by dropping the Matthew Freeman case...
Keepsitreal
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 10:27 a.m.
My dad and i were sitting in his car in traffic when the guy and 2 cops were running through MI ave, it happened right in front of us. The cops tried to taser the guy but missed and he out ran them till about ferris st, one of the officers slipped and fell during the chase. Very entertaining. I'm glad they caught the freak though! lol
Vernice
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 10:21 a.m.
Did they get the books back? I've been dying to check out "Goodnight Moon".
Dave66
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 7:11 a.m.
I'm reading a few comments about the MPRI. Well, what do you expect? Engler closed all the mental hospitals, throwing people out on the street (where many died of exposure, malnutrition, and violence). So, no medical treatment for the mentally ill, does that mean we throw him in prison? Oops, the prisons aren't funded well, either. So what's the solution? You whine because he's not locked up, and you whine because he's not getting mental treatment. I guess the solution is to give him a one-way bus ticket out of the state and hope he becomes someone else's problem and never comes back.
OldGerman
Tue, Mar 2, 2010 : 5:13 a.m.
It's obvious that he belongs in a MENTAL institution...
clara
Mon, Mar 1, 2010 : 10:42 p.m.
MPRI: Michigan Prisoner reentry Initiative, yep helping them reenter prison.
clara
Mon, Mar 1, 2010 : 10:41 p.m.
Probably another MPRI success story!
iCraig
Mon, Mar 1, 2010 : 9:14 p.m.
Naked = no concealed weapon. Childrens books = non-violent. This means with the budget cuts in Lansing he will be back at a library near you.
Black Coffee :)
Mon, Mar 1, 2010 : 9:05 p.m.
The man is on parole :o( He likes books throw The book at Him