Residents help recover stolen book swap library

Neighbours turned detectives via WhatsApp to help track down the missing DIY library in Palmers Green, reports Sienna Mahoney

The little free library — The book swap library in Palmers Green

Palmers Green residents helped out when they saw someone walk off with a book swap library.

The bookcase was a DIY project made by David Melkman and his daughter last summer, who made it as a part of a school project about connecting their community.

David explained: “We spent a lot of hours on it. A month or two ago, I fixed it outside of the house.”

The library proved popular – until someone decided they wanted it for themselves.

“I got a few texts from neighbours saying: ‘Somebody is walking off with the house’.”

David said that three residents saw someone walk off with the book swap library. Sharing information via a community WhatsApp group, neighbours worked together to recover it, eventually locating the culprit through CCTV footage of the incident.

Within two days, the person returned the library to David and his daughter – with an apology.

“They must have taken it by mistake,” said David.

Since then, David’s neighbours have made sure that the library is always stocked up with books. “The book swap is thriving,” he said.

Despite the theft incident, David said he was happy to see the community coming together to try and find it. Multiple residents have since told him what a fun idea they think it is.

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