Great Falls Man Steals Library Book, Returns it 35 Years Later
Back in 1982, a Great Falls man fell in love with the sci-fi novel "Bid Time Return", so he stole it from the Great Falls Public Library.
The author is Richard Matheson, who also wrote "I Am Legend", which became a Will Smith movie, and "What Dreams May Come" which was a Robin Williams flick.
So in 1982, the book went missing and the library just assumed it was gone forever. But recently, the library received a package in the mail from the guy who stole it. According to the Great Falls Tribune, it was the original copy, an apology and a $200 donation to the Great Falls Public Library.
The copy of "Bid Time Return" had been restored and autographed by the author, who passed away in 2013. In the apology note, the man explained that the fact that he stole it has always bothered him, even though he read the book more than 25 times in the past 35 years.
Here's the thing, the book is a major collector's item, and even without the signature, first editions go for about $1,100 online. The director of the library says that stealing books is never acceptable, however she was quite impressed with the condition of the return.