NYPD Investigates After Daredevils Are Caught Atop East Side Skyscraper
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NYPD on Monday was investigating how three people breached security this past weekend and made their way high atop one of the tallest buildings in New York City.
CBS2 exclusive video showed the daredevils on the roof of the building at 731 Lexington Ave. on the East Side on Saturday.
As CBS2's Lisa Rozner reported, one security expert called the incident an epic lapse of security.
The building where the breach happened is known as the Bloomberg Building because the first 32 floor house Bloomberg LP, the former mayor's software firm, with private condos under a separate name above and a spire sitting on top.
Sources said the trespassers entered the courtyard entrance to the residential side of the tower right off 59th Street and Lexington Avenue and made their way up to the roof and spire. A CBS2 camera mounted at the top of the building caught them.
The team of three was caught standing on the metal structure 50 stories high and more than 800 feet in the air. One adjusted a selfie stick, and at one point, a man appeared to look at the camera and then pulled a handkerchief halfway up his face.
"He's an idiot," said Angela White of Manhattan, "because he's endangering not only himself, but you know, he's giving; he's allowing other people to think, 'It's cool, let's go do it."
"I think it's thrill seeking; something people like to do nowadays," said Roderick Mighty of Manhattan.
"It kind of calls into question how good your security is, and how good any of our security is in any of our buildings," said Dave Ellner, who works nearby.
CBS2 alerted the NYPD about the daredevils, who were seen after 5 p.m. on Saturday. Three days later, the NYPD was combing social media to track the trio down – saying it was an active investigation.
Security expert Manny Gomez said it was a matter of when, not if, they are caught.
"We have thousands and thousands of cameras," Gomez said. "If these people got in so easily to top of the building, what people with bad intentions could do the same?"
But how did they get into the building? That is a question that no one seems to be able to answer.
A man by the name of Vic Invades calls himself a rooftopper, and has been on top of tall buildings before to take pictures.
"It's really not that complicated. You basically have to just dress a part and then just, you know, make your way in," Invades said. "These people are sort of like breaking grounds. You know, like, they're showing that things are possible. These people are not criminals. These people do not do things solely just for adrenaline. They do it so that they can share with the community."
CBS2 is told Vornado Realty owns the property. The firm did not return requests for comment, nor did the managers of the condominium complex, which is known as One Beacon Court.