Two thefts occurred last week at the Library Bar and Grill, according to Minneapolis police reports.

The first theft occurred just before 2 a.m. last Sunday after the victim, who is not affiliated with the University, opened up a tab with the bartender, the report said.

When he returned to close his tab, the bartender said someone else who knew the victim had closed the tab for him and taken his card.

The bartender couldn’t point out the person who had closed the tab, and the victim said neither of his two friends who were with him had taken the card.

The theft was highly unusual, Minneapolis police Sgt. Steve McCarty said.

“If I were the victim, I would do a little more questioning of the bar itself,” he said. “I would think it would be up to them to make sure they’re turning over the credit cards to the proper people.”

The second theft also occurred around bar close at the Library. A University student found that her purse was stolen after she had left the Library on Wednesday, the report said.

She left her purse on her seat when she left the bar, the victim said in the report. When she returned about 10 minutes later to retrieve the bag, it was gone.

The victim reported the theft to the bar’s manager, who checked the security cameras but did not see anyone take the purse, the report said.

Unattended items are easy targets for thieves in public places, McCarty said.

“You should be able to leave whatever you want wherever you want,” he said. “But, unfortunately that’s not true.”

Assault near 12th Avenue Southeast

A man was assaulted near Van Cleve Park early Sunday morning, according to a Minneapolis police report.

The victim, who is not affiliated with the University, was punched in the face by the suspect following an argument at his home at about 3 a.m., the report said.

Police arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect on suspicion of fifth-degree assault, the report said. Police drove the suspect away from the area and released him with a citation.

The men appeared to know each other, McCarty said, and the fight may have escalated because they had been drinking.

The report said the victim didn’t need any medical treatment following the punch.