4 ms·

we're calling the person who returned stolen notebooks a "benefactor"?

rubslopes 5y ago
Well, the malefactor certainly wouldn't be returning them for free.
williamscales 5y ago
perhaps they are a child of the thief and found the books while cleaning house after the thief's death. or not, but we don't know
- dylan604 5y ago
  Or saw someone trying to sell them, realized what they were, bought them for this specific purpose realizing it would be easier/faster than trying to report to the police/FBI knowing that they wouldn't do much about it. The scripts just write themselves
  - monkeybutton 5y ago
    Or perhaps a gentleman thief who stole them from the original thief and returned them!
    - bee_rider 5y ago
      Maybe he was a gentleman thief who stole the notes, held on to them for 20 years, and then as he approached retirement realized he needed to do one last gig -- stealing our hearts. But anonymously, by unstealing the notes.
      - batch12 5y ago
        Maybe he stole them to protect them from another plot to steal them for profit. After a 20 year saga, he finally triumphed over his adversary and returned them to their rightful owner.
        Shared404 5y ago
        We need to stop please, or we're gonna give enough material for another National Treasure :P !
        batch12 5y ago
        Yeah true. Though, better than the alternate theory that they were just returned to the wrong shelf I guess..
        dylan604 5y ago
        And there's the true crime, somebody failed to use the Dewey Decimal system!
        toast0 5y ago
        Library of Congress or death!
        ben_w 5y ago
        The sequel to 1989’s Conan the Librarian: https://youtu.be/mZHoHaAYHq8 https://youtu.be/mZHoHaAYHq8
        unfocussed_mike 5y ago
        It would have to be an International Treasure, because this is The University Of Cambridge, as in the real one in the UK not the belated US knockoff ;-)
blamazon 5y ago
What else should we call them? All we know right now is that someone returned them. We don't know if that's the same person who stole them. Personally I am hoping for someone to come forth with a story. At that point we can re-evaluate the use of "benefactor."
- jimnotgym 5y ago
  > We don't know if that's the same person who stole them. ...or even that they were stolen. They could have been taken out legitimately and the paperwork was messed up in some way. The person who borrowed them may have died.
- fsckboy 5y ago
  > What else should we call them? a person who returned stolen items.
  - blamazon 5y ago
    Too wordy for the headline. You're fired. Next!
chrisseaton 5y ago
A 'benefactor' is someone who helps you. They helped by getting the notebooks returned.

Well, the malefactor certainly wouldn't be returning them for free.

perhaps they are a child of the thief and found the books while cleaning house after the thief's death. or not, but we don't know

dylan604 5y ago
Or saw someone trying to sell them, realized what they were, bought them for this specific purpose realizing it would be easier/faster than trying to report to the police/FBI knowing that they wouldn't do much about it. The scripts just write themselves
- monkeybutton 5y ago
  Or perhaps a gentleman thief who stole them from the original thief and returned them!
  - bee_rider 5y ago
    Maybe he was a gentleman thief who stole the notes, held on to them for 20 years, and then as he approached retirement realized he needed to do one last gig -- stealing our hearts. But anonymously, by unstealing the notes.
    - batch12 5y ago
      Maybe he stole them to protect them from another plot to steal them for profit. After a 20 year saga, he finally triumphed over his adversary and returned them to their rightful owner.
      - Shared404 5y ago
        We need to stop please, or we're gonna give enough material for another National Treasure :P !
        batch12 5y ago
        Yeah true. Though, better than the alternate theory that they were just returned to the wrong shelf I guess..
        dylan604 5y ago
        And there's the true crime, somebody failed to use the Dewey Decimal system!
        toast0 5y ago
        Library of Congress or death!
        ben_w 5y ago
        The sequel to 1989’s Conan the Librarian: https://youtu.be/mZHoHaAYHq8 https://youtu.be/mZHoHaAYHq8
        unfocussed_mike 5y ago
        It would have to be an International Treasure, because this is The University Of Cambridge, as in the real one in the UK not the belated US knockoff ;-)

blamazon 5y ago

What else should we call them? All we know right now is that someone returned them. We don't know if that's the same person who stole them. Personally I am hoping for someone to come forth with a story. At that point we can re-evaluate the use of "benefactor."

jimnotgym 5y ago
> We don't know if that's the same person who stole them. ...or even that they were stolen. They could have been taken out legitimately and the paperwork was messed up in some way. The person who borrowed them may have died.
fsckboy 5y ago
> What else should we call them? a person who returned stolen items.
- blamazon 5y ago
  Too wordy for the headline. You're fired. Next!

chrisseaton 5y ago

A 'benefactor' is someone who helps you. They helped by getting the notebooks returned.