More than 1,200 Grand Forks Public Library books recovered from man's apartment

Jun. 27—GRAND FORKS — The theft of 1,211 Grand Forks Public Library books, with an accumulative estimated value of $33,300, has been linked to one man.

"He had some developmental disabilities, and he recently passed away," said Wendy Wendt, library director. "That's how it was discovered."

After Timothy Victor Rogalla, 70, died earlier this month, a relative entered his home and found more than 1,000 stolen books. Nothing had been done to hide that they'd been taken from the library; the books had their dust jackets and barcodes intact.

Library staff track and replace missing items, so they were aware that books were disappearing and kept watch in the area of the library that seemed to be targeted.

"But we had no idea of the extent, and we had no idea that it was one person," Wendt said.

A few months prior to Rogalla's death, a librarian saw him walk out of the building with books he hadn't checked out and, upon approaching his vehicle, saw many more inside it.

Police were called to the scene, and approximately 100 books were recovered from his vehicle, Wendt said.

Wendt said the library staff "did ban him from the library for a year, but we did not press charges."

The Herald did a records request for the police report on the incident, which named Rogalla, outlined the investigation and placed a value on the books.

Wendt said she believed Rogalla was genuinely confused about the situation.

Library staff assumed the thefts were being committed by a range of different people who took something here and there. They don't know how long he was taking books from the library, but a staff member is hoping to get an idea by reviewing books that disappeared when they were brand new.

"He was a frequent library user," Wendt said. "He would sit here at a table and read for hours. Whatever he may have gotten from the shelf that day — whether it be one or five items — we have figured out that he would just leave with them and not check them out. He may have thought they were his."

Across the 1,211 books, 75% were hardcover, 22.5% were standard paperbacks and 2.5% were mass market paperbacks. They were all nonfiction.

"He was very interested in philosophy, history and mathematics," Wendt said. "There was some biography thrown in. Not everything fit those categories, but those were his main areas of focus."

Also taken were computer books, she said, which library staff noticed because patrons would come in looking for books about a new computer program. Staff members knew those books had recently been purchased, yet they couldn't be found.

All the books have since been returned by Rogalla's family, who reached out to the library right away after realizing what happened.

"They're all doing the right thing, and we appreciate that very much," Wendt said.

Library staff offer their deepest sympathies to the family, and don't want to cast aspersions on Rogalla because it's clear he had no malicious intent.

"I don't want to cause more pain to the family," she said.

The library is glad to have its books back, though it is a sad ending, Wendt said.