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Hanx!
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Usual rubbish. "Breaking in." "Criminals." Also blames us for the graffiti.
Urban Explorers reach Mecca (and Friars Walk!)
A boastful group of stealthy criminals are breaking into derelict Reading venues and posting snaps of their cat burgling abilities on a website.
Group members - congratulated by fans for the "ninja skills" they use to get into locked buildings - said they are part of an urban exploring group.
Urban exploration, often shortened to urbex or UE, is about getting into the off-limit or unseen parts of urban areas or industrial sites. It's sometimes known as "building hacking" or "urban caving".
These shots show the inside of the closed Mecca bingo hall in Station Hill and Friars Walk shopping centre in Friar Street.
Now Reading's police are appealing for information about the devil-may-care intruders who they believe may be linked to graffiti in the area.
Sergeant Rob Murray, neighbourhood officer for Reading town centre, said police check the website regularly and were eager to trace the trespassers - and find out how they got into the tightly secured building.
Sgt Murray said nothing had been moved in this building so they could not get people on burglary or criminal counts - but they could on trespassing charges.
In the case of Friars Walk, Sgt Murray said the problem was all the buildings were linked so if someone got into one they got into them all.
He added: "They are getting into the Mecca building but these photos suggest they are just trespassing. The pictures are quite eerie. We are not sure how they got into the building."
On the website www.28dayslater.co.uk, one "explorer" said: "Friars Walk shopping centre is one of the most interesting, eerie, extensive, and exciting exploring sites in Reading.
"Having spent a good few months trying to get in to this tightly secured and carefully monitored building, it was a fantastic feeling to see all the hard work and failed attempts finally pay off.
"Besides the main shopping areas on two floors, there are extensive networks of service corridors running below and countless other rooms, shops and features to look around including the jungle gym.
"We are planning to return soon as we have not yet found the legendary security room. It's almost impossible to properly see everything in one explore."
Other people congratulate the criminals. One person said: "Very nice. Good photos there, and well done for getting in.
"I heard that it required some serious ninja skills.
"I was there in spirit guys. Did you get into the basement and through all the service corridors and stuff?"
Are you a UE? Call Anna Roberts on (0118) 918 3063 or email [email protected].
Scanner's playing up and Photobucket won't let me upload mega large-size images, but here we go.
("Graffiti artists' 'specialist skills'" is about the same buildings, but didn't type it out because it has nothing to do with us.)
Urban Explorers reach Mecca (and Friars Walk!)
A boastful group of stealthy criminals are breaking into derelict Reading venues and posting snaps of their cat burgling abilities on a website.
Group members - congratulated by fans for the "ninja skills" they use to get into locked buildings - said they are part of an urban exploring group.
Urban exploration, often shortened to urbex or UE, is about getting into the off-limit or unseen parts of urban areas or industrial sites. It's sometimes known as "building hacking" or "urban caving".
These shots show the inside of the closed Mecca bingo hall in Station Hill and Friars Walk shopping centre in Friar Street.
Now Reading's police are appealing for information about the devil-may-care intruders who they believe may be linked to graffiti in the area.
Sergeant Rob Murray, neighbourhood officer for Reading town centre, said police check the website regularly and were eager to trace the trespassers - and find out how they got into the tightly secured building.
Sgt Murray said nothing had been moved in this building so they could not get people on burglary or criminal counts - but they could on trespassing charges.
In the case of Friars Walk, Sgt Murray said the problem was all the buildings were linked so if someone got into one they got into them all.
He added: "They are getting into the Mecca building but these photos suggest they are just trespassing. The pictures are quite eerie. We are not sure how they got into the building."
On the website www.28dayslater.co.uk, one "explorer" said: "Friars Walk shopping centre is one of the most interesting, eerie, extensive, and exciting exploring sites in Reading.
"Having spent a good few months trying to get in to this tightly secured and carefully monitored building, it was a fantastic feeling to see all the hard work and failed attempts finally pay off.
"Besides the main shopping areas on two floors, there are extensive networks of service corridors running below and countless other rooms, shops and features to look around including the jungle gym.
"We are planning to return soon as we have not yet found the legendary security room. It's almost impossible to properly see everything in one explore."
Other people congratulate the criminals. One person said: "Very nice. Good photos there, and well done for getting in.
"I heard that it required some serious ninja skills.
"I was there in spirit guys. Did you get into the basement and through all the service corridors and stuff?"
Are you a UE? Call Anna Roberts on (0118) 918 3063 or email [email protected].
Scanner's playing up and Photobucket won't let me upload mega large-size images, but here we go.
("Graffiti artists' 'specialist skills'" is about the same buildings, but didn't type it out because it has nothing to do with us.)
Last edited by a moderator:
Now, where did I put my replica plasma cutter...
