Cerritos College Campus Police arrested a 19-year-old male for stealing books at the school library at approximately 9:40 a.m. last Thursday.

Chief of Police Richard Bukowiecki said that Mario Cuevas, who does not attend Cerritos College, allegedly took three books from the library and removed the tags to avoid setting off the alarm.

Once the alarm went off, librarians told Cuevas to stop, but he kept walking.

Library Dean Carl Bengston said, “Before we were able to get around and find the individual and get him back to check his bags, the individual was able to go through.”

“The person who was following him stopped and said, ‘I just saw the fellow ahead of me drop his book bag outside the door and he took off,'” Bengston added.

The bag was retrieved and two magazines and a binder were found to be taken from the library.

The desk attendant called campus police, who arrested Cuevas.

“The fellow that owned the backpack and that had the library materials in it came in and asked if he could have his backpack back,” Bengston said.

The desk attendant or any of the witnesses were not allowed to give comments.

Cuevas does not have prior history of stealing.