Man Arrested For Stealing Plaque On Waldorf Astoria Clock: Police

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A man is facing charges for stealing the dedication plaque attached to the Waldorf Astoria's iconic clock the day before the hotel closed its doors for renovations.

Brian Kromer, 27, has been charged with criminal possession of stolen property and petit larceny for swiping the plaque on Feb. 28, and fleeing the hotel in the company of two women, police told Patch. Kromer was arrested Thursday, police said.

Kromer was spotted on security footage leaving the hotel with two women and hailing a taxi. The clock can be seen in the background of the footage as the three people exit the hotel. While strolling down a hallway the man shows the two women something inside of a blue folder, but it's unclear what he is showing them.

The rather low-intensity getaway could mean that the theft was simply a crime of opportunity. But it's also entirely possible that the man had planned to steal a piece of the hotel before its closure.

Here's the security camera footage, courtesy of the NYPD:

The man in the video is wanted by the NYPD for questioning regarding the theft, police said. The crime is currently being classified as petit larceny, police told Patch.

The nine-foot-tall clock was built in 1893 and acquired by the Waldorf Astoria in 1931, according to the hotel's website. The clock's design commemorates Christopher Columbus' voyage to America and has served as the inspiration for clocks at the Waldorf Astoria's hotels around the world.

On Tuesday the city Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to award landmarks designation to several interior spaces at the Park Avenue hotel, including the main lobby.

Photo by NYPD