Campus safety warns against stealing from the library cafe

By Ellie Cooper

Students are stealing snacks from the library café.

Chief of Campus Safety Thurmond Maynard sent an email to students Tuesday stating that the actions are considered theft and a violation of Hood’s honor code. If students attempt to take snacks without paying, they may be subject to criminal charges from the Frederick Police Department and/or a hearing from the Office of Student Life, he said.

Additionally, if students continue to leave without paying, the college may contemplate restricting student access to the library.

Campus security and the director of dining oversee the cafe’s inventory and monitor student activity in the area.

John Bragel, director of dining services, said transactions are monitored using the POS system on the self-checkout register located within the cafe. Bragel said his team can see every student ID activity for any given time through their POS system.

An estimated $150 worth of snacks has been stolen, Bragel said.

Toby Peterson, the library director, said that he was unaware of the theft, adding that it was unfortunate. Peterson said several cameras monitor activity in the library, including the café.

The library cafe is a fairly recent addition to Hood’s campus, opening in the fall of 2021.