Elderly Queen City Man Bagged in College Book Theft Cases

CONCORD, NH — An elderly man from Manchester reportedly thought he had found a novel way to pad his retirement income – by allegedly stealing textbooks from college campuses in two states. But instead, he faces numerous charges in at least three courts after being busted in September in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, according to reports and court documents.

Gilbert L. Burns, 69, has been arrested and charged with both misdemeanor and felony theft charges after allegedly stealing books at the New Hampshire Technical Institute, UMass/Lowell, casing out Salem State University, and possibly other institutions.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord District Court. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

According to court documents, Burns was arrested in early September on the campus of the NHTI, Concord’s community college, after two other theft incidents in August where he allegedly cased out the school, grabbed college textbooks, darted back to his car, and fled the area. In two of those incidents, Burns allegedly made off with at least 25 textbooks valued at $1,000 to more than $1,500, making them felony charges. On a third incident, he allegedly stole two textbooks valued at less than $1,000.

Burns was caught after campus staffers and later, security, saw him return and called state police.

Burns, according to a court docket, had a probably cause hearing on Nov. 21, but failed to appear. He had, “no excuse,” according to comments on his court paperwork. He was arrested again and released on $500 cash bail. Burns also requested a new court date at one point telling Concord District Court that he had another court hearing scheduled on the same day in Merrimack District Court, according to paperwork.

Burns was also arrested and charged in Massachusetts, according to the Lowell Sun, after alleged incidents at UMass/Lowell, according to a report in September. Police investigators alleged that Burns stole textbooks between March and May 2016 to supplement his retirement and pay his medical bills. He allegedly later sold the books to Book Cellar in Nashua. The books allegedly stolen in Lowell resulted in Burns reportedly netting about $525. He later pleaded not guilty to two counts of larceny in a building, two counts of breaking and entering of a building in the daytime for a felony, and trespassing.

Burns was also reportedly caught “wandering around” a building by Salem State University Police in Salem, MA, in late September, according to a police report. A facilities employee alleged that there was an older man acting strange inside of the building, wandering around, without any legitimate purpose. Burns was reportedly escorted out of building and verbally trespassed from university property, according to the report.