The 'Times Square Sailor' Nabs a Burglar?

A loyal reader brings to my attention this article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, about a former New York City detective named Carl Muscarello, 81, nabbing one of two burglars who broke into in his apartment.

The reader points out that a former NYPD detective of that name has been identified as probably being the sailor in a famous Alfred Eisenstadt photo of a kissing couple on Times Square, VJ Day, 1945. See this New York Times story.

Actually there is a slight difference in age -- the Times story, from August 2005, gives his age as 78. Another account refers to the ex-detective as being from Florida, which makes it a bit less likely to be a coincidence.

Recounting his encounter with the burglar, Detective Muscarello said: "I jumped on his back and put a chokehold on him. An alligator can't get out of my chokehold." Indeed!

Whether he's the "Times square guy" or not, I'm glad that Detective Muscarello was able to nab that burglar. And I hope that the cops down in Plantation catch the one that got away. There's a police phone number at the bottom of the Sun-Sentinel article, so if anyone has any information......
UPDATE: The Miami Herald on the above. You read it here first.

© 2006 Gary Weiss. All rights reserved.

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