A woman charged in the bizarre water-borne
burglary of a World War II-era submarine stuck in a murky Bergen County
river is a psychologist and ghost hunter with an apparent hobby of
exploring abandoned buildings.
Laura B. Palmese, 38, and Jon P. Stevens, 48, both of Connecticut,
swam to the USS Ling, which is moored in the Hackensack River, after
leaving their car at a nearby diner, city police said in a statement
Thursday.
The duo allegedly stole a lantern and a medical corps lieutenant's
shoulder lapel from the historic former Navy vessel on Aug. 11.
Palmese has worked as a member of Thames Society of Paranormal Investigations, a Connecticut-based team of ghost hunters who seek out the supernatural around the region.
"Our mission is to research, investigate, educate and provide
assistance to those who are experiencing the paranormal phenomenon," the
group website says.
The group's director, Shamus Denniston, insisted Palmese was not tracking down a spirit on the Ling for his team during the alleged burglary.
"I know she has a side hobby to do urban exploring," Denniston told
NJ Advance Media, referring to people who visit abandoned sites.
"She wasn't working with us," Denniston added.
Denniston said Palmese, a doctor of psychology, served as a "paranormal investigator" with his team.
"She
joined the team following a life-long interest in all things
paranormal, which was perhaps fueled by her love of horror novels and
movies," according to her profile on the TSPI site.
Read Full Story: New Jersey.com
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