Burglary in Prabhupada’s Room

Someone broke into Room 307 while Srila Prabhupada was out and stole his typewriter and tape recorder.  When Prabhupada returned to the building, the janitor informed him of the theft: an unknown burglar had broken the transom glass, climbed through, taken the valuables and escaped.  As Prabhupada listened, he became convinced that the janitor himself was the culprit.  Of course he couldn’t prove it, so he accepted the loss with disappointment.  Some friends offered replacements for his old typewriter and tape recorder.  In a letter to India he described the theft as a loss of more than a thousand rupees ($157.00).

It is understood that such crime as has been committed in my room is very common in New York.  This is the way of material nature.  American people have everything in ample, and the worker gets about Rs 100 daily wages.  And still there are thieves for want of character.  The social condition is not very good.