What Are The Most Frequently Shoplifted Books?

By Dianna Dilworth 

Neil StraussThe Game, law enforcement guides and Tintin comics made the list among Quora users who have been discussing the question, “What are the most frequently shoplifted books?”

The poster who posed the question wrote, “Neil Strauss’ ‘The Game’ is kept behind the counter at my local Barnes & Noble because people frequently walk out the door with it, a salesperson told me. What else do stores stash back there?”

Quora user Tamara Troup wrote: “At our library some of the most frequently stolen books are the Law Enforcement Officers training manuals, the civil service exam prep books, and the ASVAB prep books.” Quora user Alice York wrote: “At the two  public high school libraries where I have worked: A Child Called It by David Pelzer (a book about parental abuse) and The Rose That Grew From Concrete poetry by Tupac Shakur.”

Quora user Martin Fox linked to a Publisher’s Weekly list on the topic. PW listed Charles Bukowski, Jack Kerouac and Paul Auster books among others, that are popular among thieves. Fox commented: “Martin Amis and Paul Auster surprise me a little bit. But the common element appears to be fairly well-known authors whose works appeal to the counter-culture.”

Even The Bible made the list. Quora user Jonas M Luster wrote: “I had to find this out and so I walked across the road to the Barnes and Noble here in Cedar Hill, TX. Guess it’s a testament to the differences between TX and CA… here it’s the Bible and self help books. Which makes me wonder… who would steal a book that says ‘thou shalt not steal’?”