A 20-year-old Port Coquitlam man has pled guilty to mischief in a case connected to the torching of several Little Free Libraries last year.
Eric Staley has received a 12-month probation order and a variety of conditions for the incidents, which took place in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam in March and April of 2019. Police said at the time that a total of 11 of the Little Free Libraries, which have been set up in neighbourhoods across the Tri-Cities.
“Acting on information provided by concerned members of the public, the Coquitlam RCMP conducted a thorough investigation that resulted in a guilty plea,” said Const. Deanna Law. “The investigation included video canvassing, production orders, search warrants and appeals for public help.”
Police announced in July 2019 that they had arrested two people — a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old — who were released on a promise to appear. Mounties said at the time that despite the arrests, the investigation was ongoing.
Many of the destroyed libraries were quickly rebuilt and restocked following the fires.
The Little Free Library movement is celebrating its 11th anniversary this year. First dreamed up by Todd H. Bol as a tribute to his teacher mother in Hudson, Wisconsin, the global non-profit now boasts over 80,000 Little Free Libraries in over 90 countries around the world, according to the organization’s website.
