Illegal Allure Of Quarry's Waters Hide Serious Dangers To Trespassing Swimmers
SUFFERN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Hot and humid weather may be behind a trespassing crime wave in Rockland County.
A record number of people have been arrested at an old quarry that some use as a swimming hole, reports CBS2's Tony Aiello.
At the old Tilcon Quarry, located in Suffern but owned by the Town of Ramapo, Officer Laurie Mair busted 16 people for trespassing during the month of July.
It is a regular part of her patrol and a major source of her arrests.
"They heard it through word of mouth, through social media, their friends came up here, they said it was a good time," said Mair. "Some of them knew they shouldn't be here, others were surprised."
Many find the quarry enticing during the summer weather, and videos posted to YouTube show daredevils jumping off quarry cliffs into the water.
"We have a lot of kids that we're arresting from New Jersey, we do have people from Rockland County, local kids as well, but they're not all kids," said Lt. Daniel Hyman of the Ramapo police. "We just had an arrest of people that were in their 50s."
The trespassing crackdown is necessary because quarries are a source of several dangers: slippery ledges prone to causing accidental falls, concealed debris under the water's surface, and pockets of extremely cold water that can cripple swimmers with cramps.
Earlier this year, a person stepped onto a long nail and suffered a serious foot injury.
Even worse, authorities warn rescues at the quarry can be dangerous for first responders, fire department and police staff and other emergency personnel. At night, without lighting, the quarry can be pitch dark.
"It's steep getting into the water, it's slippery, it's slimy, it's dirty," said Hyman.
With a month until Labor Day, police know they'll be busting more trespassers before summer's unofficial end.
