University Police Department officers arrested a man for attempting to steal nearly $500 worth of books from the University bookstore last week, UPD Inspector Mark Balazik said Wednesday.

Officers were called to the bookstore April 10 after employees noticed a man loitering in the area, Balazik said. After stopping him, officers discovered he had previously been barred from campus and arrested him for unlawful entry. While searching the man – Kenneth McKinney, 31 – they noticed he had concealed three textbooks valued at more than $450 in his clothing, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report.

UPD had previously been warned by other area bookstores to watch out for a suspicious person, Balazik said. McKinney was previously barred in June 2005 for attempting to steal from the bookstore, UPD Chief Dolores Stafford wrote in an e-mail.

McKinney, who police suspected was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident, according to the MPD report, was unavailable for comment.

He is scheduled to appear in court May 5.