Two Little Free Libraries in Salt Lake City were knocked over and vandalized this week, sparking outrage among neighbors and raising alarms about a surge in petty crimes as schools close for summer. one library, a red telephone‑booth‑style box created by local resident Jack Jowett, was found upside down with its pole broken off, while another on McClelland Trail was toppled after a loud crash was heard nearby.

Jack Jowett's red telephone‑booth library toppled in Marmalade

Jack Jowett, who installed the quirky red telephone‑booth library in the Marmalade neighborhood in September, described the scene on Monday morning: the box lay in the trash, books scattered, and the cement‑anchored pole snapped cleanly off. "I don’t know if they kicked it or what they did, but it took quite a bit," Jowett told reporters, emphasizing the effort required to dismantle the structure.

Jowett, who started the library out of a lifelong love of reading, said he plans to rebuild the box after a short pause, noting, "I’ll defniitely bring it back." The incident has drawn a wave of sympathy on social media, with many users praising the community‑building purpose of the free libraries.

McClelland Trail library knocked down after night‑time noise

The second library, located along McClelland Trail, was vandalized the night before Jowett’s incident. The owner reported hearing "young voices" and a "large noise" as the box fell, confirming that this was not the first time her box had suffered damage.

Unlike Jowett’s case,the trail library’s owner has not yet announced a timeline for replacement, but the repeated attacks have intensified calls for better protection of these neighborhood assets.

Police link summer break to rise in juvenile vandalism across five Utah cities

Salt Lake City police described the library attacks as "crimes of boredom" likely committed by children or teenagers,and said they will enforce curfew more strictly. Officers from five neighboring departments—Layton, Lehi,Farmington, Roy and Ogden—confirmed they typically see a spike in juvenile‑related offenses after schools let out .

Josh Taylor of the Roy City Police Department noted that while his jurisdiction has not reported recent vandalism of its own free‑library boxes, officers increase patrols in parks and public spaces during the summer to deter such behavior.. He added that parents can help by monitoring their children’s whereaobuts and discussing responsible choices.

Unclear whether any suspects have been identified

As of this writing,police have not released any names or ages of individuals suspected in the library attacks, and no arrests have been reported. Authorities encourage victims of juvenile crime to file reports, even if they do not intend to press charges, because the data helps identify hot spots and prevent escalation.

Both incidents underscore a broader pattern of property damage that law enforcement officials say often rises when youth have more unstructured free time, highlighting the need for community vigilance and proactive policing.