Colorado 'Literary Litterbug' dumped 600 books on highway

BOULDER, Colo. (UPI) -- The Colorado State Patrol said the "Literary Litterbug" responsible for dumping more than 600 books on a stretch of highway over several months was caught in the act.

State Patrol Sgt. Rob Madden said Trooper Dennis Wilder identified Glenn Pladsen, 62, as a possible suspect in the case of the "Literary Litterbug" or Book Dropper responsible for dumping more than 600 books along Highway 287 in Boulder County.

Madden said Wilder witnessed Pladsen throwing books out of his car window while driving on the road Thursday.

"The investigation went strictly by the book and after conducting surveillance of the driver, Trooper Wilder observed him throw books from his moving vehicle," Madden wrote in a pun-filled news release. Trooper Wilder threw the book at the driver for six counts of littering from a moving vehicle.

Madden said Colorado Department of Transportation workers have spent more than 20 hours clearing the more than 600 books from the highway since Feb. 19.

"On the surface, this may seem like a petty thing, but you can't judge a book by its cover," Madden wrote. Any time CDOT crews respond to provide maintenance to the highway, they are at risk of being hit by passing motorists. There is also the associated delay caused by the temporary lane closures as well as the cost for the cleanup.

Pladsen said he ended up with thousands of used books when a store in Boulder closed about eight years ago and his attempts to sell them online were unsuccessful. He said he dumped the books on his way to work in Longmont.

"I didn't even know anybody even cared," Pladsen told the Longmont Times-Call. I just thought they were being blown in the ditch. That's what I thought was happening.

"I had no idea it was a mystery. I would have stopped a long time ago if I though anybody cared," he said.

Madden said officials cared very much about the dumping.

"The Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Transportation would like to remind everybody of our combined responsibility to keep our roadways clean," Madden said. Anytime trash is thrown from a vehicle there are consequences. Please keep our beautiful state in mind as you drive our roads and we sincerely hope this is the final chapter in this annoying story.