3 charged with stealing, selling textbooks from BYU-Idaho store

REXBURG, Idaho (AP) — Two students at Brigham Young University-Idaho have been charged with multiple counts of burglary for allegedly stealing textbooks from the college bookstore and selling them on the Internet.

Rexburg police wouldn't say what led them to the pair or where they were selling the books.

Police Capt. Garth Gunderson also wouldn't specify how many books were stolen or how much they were worth. But when police searched the men's property, 200 books were recovered, he said.

Humphery Sunyangwe, 31, has been charged with six felony counts of burglary. Bronson Chikusu, 23, has been charged with four counts. Both men are from Lusaka, Zambia.

A third man, Sunyangwe's brother, Andrew, also was arrested in Provo, Utah, in connection with the case. He has been charged with two counts of burglary.

Police have had a difficult time locating the stolen property. Because the books were sold online, they could be anywhere in the United States or in the world.

"It's like trying to gather dandelion seeds in a strong wind," Gunderson said.

Andrew Sunyangwe was a student at BYU-Idaho until December. Because of student privacy laws, officials were unable to say whether he graduated or left the university.

If Sunyangwe doesn't waive his extradition rights, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter will have to petition Utah's governor to extradite him to Idaho to stand trial.

Gunderson said more charges may be filed against the men and that others could face penalties as well.