A man believed to be homeless was arrested Nov. 3 at Moorpark College for attempting to steal two textbooks from a student’s backpack in the Campus Center.

The incident took place around 12:30 p.m. when 29-year-old Christopher Panelli was arrested for burglary, after a campus bookstore employee saw him attempt to steal the two textbooks, according to Campus Police Lt. Steve Kegley.

Panelli was spotted by the employee placing the books in a cloth bag near the lockers outside the bookstore. According to Kegley, the employee then asked Panelli if he owned the two books, which Panelli claimed he did.

The employee followed Panelli as he exited the campus center, and when he returned to the bookstore, saw a female student claim that two books had been stolen from her backpack, which had been resting on the ground in front of the lockers, according to Kegley.

The employee and student confronted Panelli, where he confessed to taking the books. Campus Police was then notified.

When asked for comment, the campus bookstore deferred to Iris Ingram, vice president of business services, who declined to comment.