Police To Return Jewelry to 9/11 Survivors

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The New York Sun

The destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, was absolute, and family members of many victims were left with no remains to bury, but the Police Department has launched a Web site to try and reunite hundreds of survivors with unclaimed pieces of jewelry.


“They all have their own particular story, and they’re all of sentimental significance to the families who are waiting for some word of their relatives,” said the commanding officer of the Property Clerk Division, Jack Trabitz. “It is a testament to their lives, and it is something that is in great demand.”


In their exhaustive sifting through the pulverized ruins, investigators uncovered thousands of personal items, such as wedding bands, necklaces, photographs, and melted credit cards. Police said that 72% of the 26,799 World Trade Center vouchers for missing property have been returned to the rightful owners. Of the items that remain unclaimed, the Police Department has reported 654 pieces of jewelry. The department has launched the World Trade Center Jewelry Claim Web site to help reunite unclaimed property with the family members of the victims.


“The unique nature of this jewelry led to the creation of this web system,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said as he announced the new system yesterday. “Jewelry is the most frequently requested item for the family members of victims. We are committed to returning this property to the rightful owners in a respectful and dignified way.”


Most of the returned items have inscriptions, serial numbers, or other features that make them easily recognizable. Remaining items will not be posted on the Web to prevent fraud, but users can submit electronic claims describing missing jewelry, and officers will match the descriptions with items in the Prop erty Clerk database. Those without Internet access can obtain and submit forms at police precincts, and mailed copies may be requested by calling 311.


From that point, investigators will use common sense and “engage them in a dialogue” to determine whether claims are legitimate, Mr. Kelly said.


For many family members, identifying the jewelry of lost loved ones can be an intensely emotional experience.


“It relives the moment for them,” Mr. Trabitz said. “It brings back memories of their lost loved ones, and it runs the gamut from mourning to closure. It’s heart-rending to watch them go through it. For some of them, we hope that it’s closure.”


The Web site, accessible at www.nyc.gov/nypd, was created by the Property Clerk Division in conjunction with experts from Tiffany & Co. Conflicting claims with be settled in court, police said.


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