BASE Jumping Causing Security Concerns in NYC

All buildings require a certain amount of security, including protected windows and doors, alarm systems, security cameras and locking systems. In some instances, additional New York security guards may provide an extra layer of protection by assigning patrols to the building to prevent any suspicious activity.

While BASE jumping is not illegal per se, it is against the law to perform these jumps from many buildings and other structures in the United States. A BASE jumper has the potential to cause damage to property if he or she makes a bad jump. BASE jumpers in places such as New York City run the serious risk of landing on vehicles, other people and awnings. Because many BASE jumps from buildings occur at night to avoid detection, the risk is increased due to low visibility.

BASE jumpers have been known to damage and vandalize property in order to perform their jumps. One example is the infamous Peak 2 Peak gondola incident in Ontario, Canada. A male BASE jumper with his female friend used brute force to open the gondola doors during while crossing the valley between the Whistler and the Blackcomb mountains, breaking the locking system that is designed to keep the doors from opening and causing about $10,000 in damage.

BASE jumpers have been known to go to extreme measures to avoid detection and arrest. In June 2013, three skydivers broke their way into the Trump International Hotel and Tower building by cutting the locks. They then covered the lenses of the security cameras before ascending 92 flights of stairs to reach the top of the building. While these three jumpers got away, others were not so successful. In April 1986, a British tourist was caught by the police after his parachute strings were snared by a lamp post. In February 1992, two men jumped off an unfinished 42-story building in Tampa, Florida and landed directly in front of an off-duty policeman. They were subsequently arrested.

One of the most recent BASE jumps took place in September 2013. Four men – three jumpers and a lookout on the ground – were arrested after performing a nighttime jump from the Freedom Tower in New York City. According the one of the jumpers, it was no trouble at all to enter the building. “We just kind of walked in,” he said. “It’s supposed to be the most secure building in the world.”

In March 2014, a 16-year-old boy squirmed through a one-foot opening in a security fence surrounding the Freedom Tower and climbed up scaffolding past “No Trespassing” and “Do Not Enter” signs to the top. Upon observing a sleeping guard at the 104th floor, the young man slipped quietly past and climbed a ladder to the spire that stands 1,776 feet above the ground.

Contact Citadel Security Agency

Security breaches such as these clearly state the need for adequate protection for a building. Hiring competent security companies in New York, such as Citadel, can help to prevent illegal operations such as BASE jumping and break-ins with a more sinister intent such as burglary or sabotage. Call (212) 509-5570 to schedule an appointment or fill out a contact form online.