One for the Books: Burglars Drop In for a Heist

The owner of Southern California’s largest independent bookstore is feeling outwitted this week.

Joel Sheldon, whose Vroman’s Books has become a literary landmark, thought he had a good alarm system. So, he said, he was astonished to learn Monday that burglars had gotten away with $40,000 in cash.

Using power tools to cut through the roof and safe, an unknown number of burglars avoided detection from an alarm system that monitored most of the building, but not the ceiling, police said.

“I feel outsmarted,” Sheldon said of his efforts to secure the building at 695 E. Colorado Blvd. “You work hard to prevent something like this, and then someone comes up with a way to get around it.”

Sheldon said he had involved himself extensively in the store’s security precautions. The building had not been burglarized in the past decade, he said, and he felt that every effort had been made to thwart any would-be thieves.

Nonetheless, a burglary occurred between Sunday evening after closing and Monday morning when store workers found the cash--and part of the ceiling--missing.

Only cash was taken from the safe, Sheldon said. Coins, charge slips and the store’s records were left in place. Sheldon said it was the most money that has ever been stolen from Vroman’s, the largest independent bookseller in Southern California.

The popular Pasadena store has been doing business in the city since 1894 and was one of the first retailers to invite authors into the store to sign their works.

Police have no suspects in the burglary, but investigators are examining undisclosed items of physical evidence found at the scene, Lt. Van Anthony said.

Last month, there was a similar burglary at the post office in Pasadena at 2609 E. Colorado Blvd. Thieves broke in through the roof, but investigators said they have not found a connection between the two crimes.

Sheldon said the loss would not devastate the financially successful company, which has another store at Santa Anita Fashion Park in Arcadia.

“At this time of the year, $40,000 only represents a portion of a day’s sales,” he said. “But we are taking every effort to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

He said a new alarm system is being designed to guard the ceiling.