Two theives caught on ledge

 United States > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles

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Two young convicted thieves attempted an escape from the jail located on the upper floors of the Hall of Justice. While cleaning a penthouse deck on the 15th floor of the building at midnight, the prisoners reportedly kicked a padlock off of a door leading to the roof, found a coil of heavy-duty electrical cord, and lowered themselves down the side of the building. The cord only took them as far as a ledge outside the 10th-floor, where they stayed, lying in 14 inches of pigeon dung. After 1 a.m., deputies spotted the dangling cord and noticed that the two were missing from among the residents. The Los Angeles Police Department dispatched a helicopter for the search, lighting up the ledge (see arrow). After the two were captured, they were cleaned up and taken to the county's Central Jail. Photograph dated December 3, 1974.