The police in Marin County, California, have arrested a special criminal. Instead of gold, cash, or jewelry, he stole games for the Nintendo Switch.
What did he do? A man from the USA has stolen from several public libraries. However, instead of targeting books or electronics, he aimed at games for the Nintendo Switch. The police connect the man to at least seven burglaries in libraries in Marin County (California) where he reportedly obtained games worth about $10,000 (approximately €8,550).
Instead of a late fee, he faces 12 charges
What happens to the perpetrator? The police arrested the accused on June 17, 2025. He is currently in the local jail and must answer for a dozen charges. According to the police (via Facebook), the charges include “[…] several burglaries and committing a crime while on bail.”
According to an inquiry from Eurogamer.net, the police were able to recover some of the video games. However, it is unclear how many were found, as well as the whereabouts of the remaining games.
No understanding from gamers
How do gamers react to the man? The report has also spread on Reddit, and many gamers have expressed their opinions on the man’s crimes.
bobmlord1 says on Reddit: “Of all the places to steal from, a public library is one of the worst. You’re not taking a rounding error from a corporation, but an item that has to be replaced from a fixed budget, from an institution whose entire existence is devoted to the fair distribution of knowledge and providing resources for the disadvantaged.”
HardcoreGamer4L touches on the topic on Reddit: “As a father who borrows Switch games for my kids, I say: ‘F*** this guy.’ I hope they punish him hard.” DreamingDjinn also has nothing positive for the man on Reddit: “What a jerk.”
The police also find the burglaries and thefts from public libraries quite unacceptable. They write on Facebook: “Our libraries are pillars of the community and must be preserved for everyone!”
On Reddit, many of the players wonder why public libraries even lend out games and not just offer books. Both in the USA and in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, local libraries often provide more than just books. In addition to Switch games, they also offer movies, devices, and other media for borrowing. A visit can be worth it.
So far, the police and the public prosecutor’s office are still investigating and trying to recover more games. However, the damage to the libraries will be noticeable. Our own game libraries on the internet don’t actually belong to us, as an example powerfully illustrates: Ubisoft deletes a game from players’ libraries – Reminds us that we own nothing
