FORT SMITH, Ark. – A Fort Smith library branch was robbed of its fine money Thursday by a woman who implied she had a weapon, police said. “We’re kind of dumbfounded,” Fort Smith police Officer Vincent Clamser said.

The robber, a tall, light-skinned woman who covered her face and head with bandanas, walked into the library’s Windsor branch and handed the librarian a note, Clamser said.

“She implied she had a weapon and that (the librarian) had one minute to comply,” Clamser said.

The librarian handed over what amounted to petty cash _ some bills and change from the till used for fines for overdue books.

Clamser said the amount taken was less than $20 dollars.

“We’re kind of wondering, why would anybody do this?,” Clamser said.

The robber faces a felony robbery charge, which may be upgraded to aggravated robbery, Clamser said.

Any chance she might get off with just a fine?

“No,” Clamser said. If the woman is caught, how the case is pursued will be up to prosecutors, he said.

Fort Smith has been the site of some unusual crimes of late, including the thefts of safes from three restaurants and a bank. Last week, a man who robbed a sandwich shop proved easy to catch when he made a quick change of clothes in front of a surveillance camera. In May, a man wanted for bank robbery was caught after Fort Smith police posted a MySpace page with a detailed description of him.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)