Bookstore Managers Suspect Competitors May Buy 'Hot' Copies

At least one bookshop in the Square may be acting as a fence for students and professional thieves, three bookstore managers said yesterday. All three report monthly losses from thieving which amount to hundreds of dollars.

Ellsworth Young, manager of Phillips Book Store, said yesterday his employees have to keep constantly on watch for shoplifters. He thinks one book store is buying up stolen copies, but said he has no evidence to document this charge.

In Phillips, a system of mirrors helps the employees keep an eye on every part of the store, particularly the separate alcoves.

Other Stores Concur

Mark Kramer, owner of the Harvard Book Store, and Paul Mueller, manager of Schoenhof's, both concurred with Young in reporting large-scale thieving.

Mueller says Schoenhof's, costly books on art are a principal target for thieves. He said one bandit even cleaned out the cash register last Saturday, getting away with $150 in bills.

Kramer, when told of the suspicion that a store may be doing business with the thieves, said "I would never make such a statement. If points at one particular store" one, he added, in the Harvard Square area.

Kramer said book stealing comes in seiges. He can remember when $200 worth was taken in one week.

Employees at the University Law Book Exchange said they have not noticed any frequent loss of books, although one student came into the store trying to selling two books marked with a Coop stamp.

Coop employees said they notice little sealing in their book department.