‘Soul’ snatchers

When Harold Gooding was convicted and sentenced to one to three years in prison for attempted burglary in Brooklyn, New York in 1994, it was the start of a criminal career that made him the most prolific recidivist in the Big Apple.

1994, it was the start of a criminal career that made him the most prolific recidivist in the Big Apple.

In 1996, Gooding was convicted and jailed again for attempted robbery in Brooklyn, the New York Post (NYP) reports, citing records of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

In 2001, he was sentenced to 10 years for first-degree robbery, but paroled in 2008, according to NYP.

By August 2022, Gooding was at the top of New York Police Department’s “Worst of the Worst” list of repeat offenders with 101 arrests for robberies and shoplifting. He racked up 33 more arrests since then.

After serving 364 days in prison for petty larceny and being released in February, he was arrested four more times. On 30 April, he was again busted in Central Park for crack and heroin possession, police sources told NYP.

Police blame the courts for repeatedly releasing him.

Meanwhile, the city of Bruges in Belgium sees thievery happening regularly on its UNESCO-recognized medieval streets.

Local politician Franky Demon has issued an appeal to the public to stop taking what he called the city’s soul. He was referring to the 50 to 70 cobblestones that disappear every month.

“The removal of cobblestones poses a clear safety risk to both residents and visitors. Missing or loosened stones create tripping hazards, and city workers must frequently be dispatched to carry out repairs,” Demon said, according to CNN.

The city spends 200 euros (about $225) per square meter to replace the cobblestones taken by tourists as souvenirs.