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Armed Thieves Raid USP's Energy and Environment Institute at New Year

The theft threatens operations at a rare PPE‑testing laboratory, according to institute leaders.

Overview

  • Security video shows assailants arriving on foot just before midnight and using a white van moments after 00:00 to remove items.
  • Two on‑duty guards were overpowered, later bound in a bathroom, and eventually freed themselves to alert police.
  • Police records list eight copper wire coils, about 80 meters of plastic cabling, and the guards’ phones among the stolen items.
  • Institute leadership reports that computers with hard drives containing in‑house programs and data were taken, citing material and intellectual losses.
  • The case remains under investigation with no arrests reported, and SSP says it was registered at the 91st precinct after some outlets initially cited the 93rd; early reporting notes an external power outage may have facilitated the break‑in.