Break-in confirmed at University library
The break-in caused permanant damage to the University library doors. Photo credit: Peter Iverson
Police were called to the University of York Library in the early hours of this morning, after reports of an attempted break-in.
The police arrived at the scene at around 3:05 am, after a campus Security Guard raised the alert. A 20 year old man was found inside the building, having allegedly broken through the security banner, damaged a plasma screen and smashed several windows.
The police confirmed the trespasser had been arrested on suspicion of “causing criminal damage” and “he remains in police custody as inquiries continue”. The University would not confirm reports that the damage was caused by a drunk student, stating only: “there was some damage to the entrance area and a male was arrested. The matter is now in the hands of the Police.”
The attempted burglary forced the library to open an hour and a half later than usual, leaving some students unable to collect vital texts to complete essays. At half past nine a temporary entrance was set up at the side of the building due to the serious damage done to the main doors. However, while this ensured access to the main library, the Raymond Burton Library and Borthwick institute remained restricted till 2pm, leaving students with extremely limited study space, due to the continuing construction on the library site.
Overall the incident was dealt with quickly, and Stephen Town, Director of Information, was “very grateful” to the library staff for responding so promptly to the emergency. The library staff commented that they were “obviously dismayed” but “clubbed together to still offer a good service”.
The event has left some students uneasy and reassessing the general safety of the library, with a second year biochemist stating, “‘I used to feel like the library was a secure place and now that’s questionable, I am not so sure about leaving my stuff out on the desk now”.
Due to the extent of the damage, the glass doors of the library will have to be permanently replaced, and areas of the ground and first floor will remain closed as repairs are made over the course of next week.
Loading ...
I spoke to one of the security/library staff outside this morning at 9am who said it was a drunk chap.
He may have been wrong, but he said it with conviction in his heart.
Seems plausible that this was indeed a random drunk student, particularly since it does not seem like an act of theft. I hope the idiot is named regardless.
It’s hardly something to feel ‘uneasy’ about though. S*** happens.
Wouldn’t have happened if the library was open 24hrs…
Maybe he really, really needed a book?
What kind of idiot tries to break into a library, even when drunk?
“‘I used to feel like the library was a secure place and now that’s questionable, I am not so sure about leaving my stuff out on the desk now”.
1) You shouldn’t leave your stuff on a desk if it’s valuable anyway.
2) This was in the middle of the night, it hardly affects the safety during the day.
Clearly he mistook it for a liBARy.
aha maybe it’ll make people think twice about leaving their stuff about, the number of laptops (macbook pros and the like too!) i see left about when the owner is getting a book/in the loo/gone out for a fag is unreal.
anything that heightens student awareness of crime on campus is a good thing, obviously as long as no one’s harmed!
Maybe he thought it was a college football game.lol
Sounds like a massive LAD
Probably just had a couple beers and wanted to get his Heidegger ON
“Permanently replaced” – well obviously!
@Dunc – HEIDEGGER IS NO LAUGHING MATTER
Apologies – it was actually Marx’s ‘Capital, Volume 2: The Process of Circulation of Capital’
what a bloody LAD, OI OI OI