Many libraries now offer programs where visitors can try out and even borrow video games, a commendable effort that helps promote learning and creativity through gaming. But not everyone’s using the system as intended.
A man has been arrested after police say he stole over $10,000 worth of Nintendo Switch games from public libraries across Northern California.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that it arrested 45-year-old Oakland native Jamal Reed-Obafumi on June 17, claiming he was “connected to a string of at least seven different burglaries of Marin County Libraries.”
Authorities report that the thefts occurred between April and June 2025, with Reed-Obafumi allegedly stealing around $10,000 worth of Switch games from several library branches. According to officials, he now faces 12 felony charges, including “multiple counts of burglary and committing a felony while out on bail.”
“Our libraries are pillars of the community and must be safeguarded for everyone to enjoy,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote.
While the seven specific libraries weren’t named, the Marin County Library system lists nearly 200 Switch games available for borrowing. It’s also unclear whether any of the stolen titles have been recovered.
And this isn’t the only Switch-related theft making headlines lately. Earlier this month, reports surfaced of a much bigger heist involving 2,810 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles stolen in transit. The shipment was on its way from Nintendo HQ in Redmond, WA to a GameStop location in Grapevine, TX, when thieves made off with the cargo, worth around $1.4 million.