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By Will Bredderman
Brooklyn Daily
Have you seen our boxes?
Thirteen newspaper boxes for the Bay News and Bay Ridge Courier vanished without a trace from the streets of Bay Ridge last week, potentially depriving hundreds of Ridge readers of their right to Courier Life, liberty and the pursuit of community news.
The theft of these boxes constitutes an attack on everything Americans hold dear — including freedom of the press, the marketplace of ideas, and the right to pick up a free newspaper while drinking your coffee on the way to the train.
Worse yet, it appears that the fact-hating fiend did not take any of the bins belonging to other publications, meaning that this box bandit was specifically targeting our publications in a clear effort to prevent our loyal readers from obtaining the insightful local coverage you’ve come to depend on.
According to employees of the Rite Aid at the corner of 75th Street and Fifth Avenue, security tapes show the stand sitting in its usual position on the sidewalk at 8 pm on Oct. 1. But by morning, the box had disappeared — though the cameras failed to capture the theft as it occurred.
Police are investigating this heinous crime against literacy but there are no suspects as yet. Anyone with any information concerning the theft, or which might lead to the safe return of our bins, please contact newsroom@cnglocal.com. All tips will remain confidential.