Unemployed Ala. Woman Charged with Stealing Hundreds of Library Books

ANNISTON, Ala. (CBS/AP) Someone was stealing lots and lots of library books in the northeast Alabama city of Anniston. In fact, police say over the past couple of years, 222 volumes vanished - book value, $5,432.

Now, authorities think they've cornered the runaway reader.

Anniston police say 42-year-old Regina M. Smith was arrested Wednesday on a felony theft charge, after officials at the local library reported that a woman was seen stealing two books.

Who is Regina M. Smith?

She's an unemployed woman who likes to read, and apparently prefers to have her own copies.

Investigator Kyle Price said Smith has a library card but sneaked books out and kept them rather than borrowing them legally, he said.

Mainly crime novels, mysteries and vampire stories had been flying off the shelves.

Smith's bond was set at $10,000.

Maybe in the next chapter we'll find out if they throw the book at her.