University Security Guard Arrested for Stealing 5,000 Rare Comics

The head of security at a Florida State University library took roughly 5,000 rare comic books and sold them to private purchasers and local comic shops last week. Earlier this month, FSU police arrested Todd Peak, 38, of Crawfordville, on accusations of grand theft and trading in stolen property.

Peak, according to authorities, held one of the four keys to the section under the Robert Manning Strozier Library’s subbasement where the comic collection was housed. The comics went missing for the first time in September 2021. Peak came into the business with two big boxes “full of absolutely magnificent very high-grade silver age comic books (1970-1984)” and was looking to sell them immediately, according to the owner of a comic shop in Suwannee County. Peak’s conduct was described as “strange and cagey” by the owner.

Peak posted in a Facebook group that he was “seeking to minimize his collection,” according to police. The comics being sold were all labeled as stolen from FSU, according to police. Peak searched for the value of the comics 448 times since the theft, according to a search request obtained by police.

The missing collection yielded 2,843 comics, which were recovered by police. Peak no longer works at the university. Here’s the list of books that were stolen.