Streator woman stole donation box from library, police say

Streator police reported Tuesday that a citation was issued to a woman after a donation box was reported stolen from the library.

Karis A. Maple was cited on a complaint of theft, released and given a court date in early February. She also was banned from the library at the request of management.

Maple returned to the library, where she was identified by officers. Police said she was read her rights and admitted to taking the donation box. The box was recovered from Maple’s possession and showed pry marks on the bottom, indicating it had been tampered with even though a key was needed to open it, police said.

Streator police said Maple told them it was already in that condition when she took it and explained that she believed the donation box was intended for people to give and to take.

She also told officers that a library employee informed her of this, but no staff member at the library could confirm that, Streator police said.