'Grave Robbers' looted shops under towers

This is London | 21 Sept., 2001 | Valentine Low in New York

[the Deejay]

'Grave robbers' looted shops under towers by Valentine Low in New York

Shops and restaurants in the underground mall beneath the World Trade Center were looted in the days after last Tuesday's terrorist attack, it was reported today.

Theft: looting was reported in the shops under the World Trade Center

New York detectives are investigating whether the looting, discovered by the National Guard, was carried out by rescue workers in the wake of the disaster.

A warren of wide subterranean passageways beneath number 5 World Trade Center somehow survived the collapse of the twin towers, and it is believed the looting started soon after the fires in the upper storeys of the building were put out.

Captain Vincent J Heintz, a commander in the New York National Guard, said the looting carried on into this week. "There have been people down here trying to steal from a mass grave," he said. "They are grave robbers."

The looters picked through a Tourneau watch shop, raided cases of designer sunglasses in another store, tried to prise open at least one cash register and even got into the service room behind a row of cashpoint machines.

However, the steel safes prevented them from making off with any money. Two men, one of them a former prison officer who was posing as a police officer, have already been charged with stealing two watches from the Tourneau shop.

The intact shops and restaurants one level below ground were likened by the New York Times to a modern Pompeii - a moment in the life of New York frozen in time.

The paper described how inside Sunglass Hut International, an employee's breakfast - "three link sausages and a moldy entree with a fork standing upright" still stood on the counter beside the cash register.

The news-stands still hold stacks of the papers from the morning of the attack. At the cashpoint a customer's receipt for a $100 withdrawal - made at 8.51am on 11 September - protruded from the machine.

Daniel Castleman, chief of the district attorney's investigations division, said the looting appeared to be limited to a few shops under one building. "It's not a situation of everyone walking in and stuffing their pockets," he said.

"It could be one guy who was very determined, and got his hands on some merchandise. At this point we don't have evidence of who it was, when it was, or precisely what was taken, and the police department, understandably, has taken an interest in it."

Deputy police commissioner Thomas Antenen said: "We arrested two looters last week, and have received these reports of other missing property. We are looking into it."

Captain Heintz said: "They could have been police officers, they could have been firefighters, they could have been contractors or National Guardsmen."

They were, however, unlikely to have been civilians, because it is virtually impossible for unauthorised people to get through the strict security surrounding the site.

Platoon leader, 2nd Lt Peter Fluker, said: "It was calculated. It was done with crowbars and heavy equipment and some sharp, blunt objects that were used to smash open big doors and jewellery cases. They were rescue workers of some sort."

[the Deejay]

If someone beat me to posting this, I'm sorry. No one had when I did a "search."

[Paul Atreides]

Well, Obubba Been Laiden did say Senator El Chupacabra had thousands of volunteers. I guess the offices needed more furniture and the pantsuits finally disintegrated.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

We had a large airliner crash in Detroit in 1988. People were taking watches and rings off of some of the arms that were ripped from the passenger's bodies. Nothing surprises me anymore.

[FrdmLvr]

Obubba Been Laiden

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Paul Atreides]

Please don't think that I am making light of a disgusting situation. I think that it is deplorable that individuals, who could be donating their time to helping find survivors, would be doing such a thing. Sadly, such situations bring out the worst in some people.

[the Deejay]

OMG!! I DO recall that!

[dougherty]

Such a shame people can be so heartless and sick.

[the Deejay]

The first thing that struck me was, the KUDOS ALL the police, firemen and rescue workers have been getting. Like they say, "One rotten apple......."

[Paul Atreides]

Well, those police and firemen can go to their graves knowing they were doing the right thing at the right time. Those looters will go to their graves knowing, deep down, that they are worthless human beings.

[MizSterious]

Just another story to add--when hubby was still in the Coast Guard, and stationed in New Bedfored, one of the CG helicopter pilots had to crash land during a fierce storm. He managed to bring the helicopter down in someone's garden on Cape Cod near Otis AFB. The owner of the property came out and threatened him with a lawsuit, without even asking him if he needed medical care (he did). Then, the neighbors came out and began ripping things off the helicopter, and, where possible, off the pilot himself. Nice, upper-income yuppie types, driving Volvos and supporting gun control. Most people think of looters as inner-city toughs. Let me tell you, those yuppie toughs are the worst.

[KillerWabbit]

Sounds like more than one person is involved. Maybe many more. It's gonna be sad if the NY fire or other dept winds up with a huge black eye over this - after all the bouquets of praise.

Worse though, would be a coverup to prevent a black eye.

[MizSterious]

Woops--typo--New Bedford, MA. Sorry!

[aomagrat]

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

[the Deejay]

OMG!! What thugs!! They should have been prosecuted, to the fullest!!

[Az Joe]

In the words of the former mayor of Chicago, the late Richard Daley..."Shoot to maim looters, shoot to kill arsonists."

[2Trievers]

A just reward would be the one practiced in the Muslim law ... find the perps and hang them on the spot. It would be ironic justice, after all.

[tet68]

I know it's easy to start nailing the rescue folks but keep in mind there is a LOT of subterranian life in NYC.Some creatures live their lives out down there.

[petuniasevan]

Bold OFF!

[the Deejay]

Gee, I agree with you. If this is done a few times, then when another disaster happens the louts may have "second" thoughts.

[ThirdMate]

The real prize is 12 tons of gold and 132 million troy ounces of silver buried beneath building seven, home to a precious metals exchange.