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Dear old Ernest Lawrence, after whom the Lawrence Hall of Science is named (and generally the only thing the Clog knows about him) must have turned over in his grave from the whole ordeal.
On Tuesday, a former UC Berkeley student pleaded no contest to grand theft for stealing Lawrence’s Nobel Prize. Ian Sanchez was a senior last year who worked in the Hall of Science where the medal was kept. It was the first Nobel Prize that a Berkeley professor received.
Overall, and from whatever perspective, it’s just a pitiful instance of grand theft. On one hand, it’s just a pathetic crime to steal a award given for the advancement of humankind. On the other hand, if one were to steal it, the whole story pathetically lacked any of the bank-heist-secret-agent-excitement that we all secretly fantasize about from time to time.
It’s pathetic to those of us who:
…own the “Ocean’s Eleven” trilogy. The Daily Cal reported that Sanchez “used a key to unlock the case and steal the medal during normal business hours.” WTF? No disabling of security cameras? No escapes through the roof?
…are Kanye fans. He can definitely steal a Nobel prize which much more style.
…think that it’s just a low, low, low thing to steal something that is awarded for an individual’s personal merit. One Chronicle reader said that “One thing is for sure, that’s the only way this moron would ever get one.”
…wanted it ourselves. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Sanchez stole it to show it off to our friends. Why didn’t he do something more exciting with it, like sell it and flee with the money to South America? One Chronicle reader (jokingly, we assume) claimed “I almost bought it at the Flea Market at Laney College (but he) got some incense and wind chimes instead.”
No Contest Plea in February Theft of Nobel Prize Medal [Daily Cal]
Kanye West Bites Cal’s Style–and Cops Our Nobel Prizes [The Clog]
No Contest Plea of UC Berkeley’s Nobel Prize [SF Gate]
Comments [SF Gate]
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