The Pine Bluff Public Library was vandalized late Saturday night, causing an estimated $20,000 or more in damage, and a 30-year-old man has been arrested.
Ricky Williams, director of the library, said Sunday that library security cameras showed someone walking back and forth in front of the library, then picking up rocks and breaking two panes, kicking in the broken windows and entering the library.
“He came in and destroyed several areas of the library — totally ransacked it,” Williams said. “He trashed TVs, computers, the RFID device — those cost $6,000. He tore the thermostats off the walls, sprayed a fire extinguisher all over the first floor area, and he vandalized the whole cafe area. It’s a mess. There’s at least $20,000 in damage to the facility.”
Williams said he and the staff worked until almost 5 a.m. to secure the building but are still in shock over the incident.
“I just can’t believe it,” he said. “I would never have thought something like this would happen, not to the most beautiful building in town. I just can’t wrap my head around this.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
An incident report from Pine Bluff Police Department said officers went to the scene in response to an alarm call. When the arrived, they noticed “a suspicious male standing outside the library” who was later identified as Quandarian Green.
“After speaking with Mr. Green he stated that he was just standing on the outside of the building charging his phone,” according to the report.
Police then compared what Green was wearing with the appearance of the person seen in the library’s security video.
“The male in the video fit the description of Mr. Green who was wearing a brown jacket, black jeans, and a hat and mask on his head,” according to the report.
Williams said the incident may stem from a run-in he had with a person about a year and a half ago. The person was threatening and cursing at Williams and the library staff, and when Williams confronted him and banned him from the library, the man pulled a knife on him.
“I think this is probably retaliation over that incident,” Williams said, adding that he identified Green from the security video. “He’s still mad at me.”
Williams said the library’s inside alarm system went off about 11:45 p.m., and that the person responsible was inside for 15 or 20 minutes.
The front of the UAPB small business development building, across the street from the library, was also damaged, although police did not identify a suspect.
Green, 30, was arrested and booked into the W.C. “Dub” Brassell county jail at 2:12 a.m. in connection with felony charges of burglary and first-degree criminal mischief, according to online information from the jail.
Williams said the library would be closed on Monday to give the staff time to clean up the debris, get other computers in place and put the library back online.