Confidential Police Docs Found in Macy's Parade Confetti Spark Investigation

PIX11 viewer and parade-goer found that confetti that fell on him and friends had detectives' social security numbers, bank info and unveiled undercover officers' identities
Nov. 26, 2012

UPPER WEST SIDE, MANHATTAN (PIX11)— Something far more concerning than marching bands, balloons, cheerleaders and clowns was at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Confidential personal information is what some paradegoers found among confetti tossed during the world's most famous parade. That information included social security numbers and banking information for police employees, some of whom are undercover officers.

Ethan Finkelstein, who was home from college on Thanksgiving break, was watching the parade at 65th Street and Central Park West, when he and a friend noticed a strip of confetti stuck onto her coat.

"It landed on her shoulder," Finkelstein told PIX11 News, "and it says 'SSN' and it's written like a social security number, and we're like, 'That's really bizarre.'

[...]A closer look shows that the documents are from the Nassau County Police Department. The papers were shredded, but clearly not well enough.

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