By Tim Binnall
A Connecticut psychologist who moonlights as a ghost hunter has found herself in hot water with authorities following what they say was an audacious heist from a historic submarine. Laura Palmese was reportedly arrested earlier this week for breaking into the USS Ling, which is moored at the New Jersey Naval Museum, and stealing items from the ship. Police say that Palmese and an accomplice actually jumped into the Hackensack River and swam to the submarine in order to gain access to the vessel.
According to authorities, the pair subsequently pilfered a lantern and a uniform lapel from a display on the ship. However, the duo apparently didn't count on the submarine being protected by a security system as their misadventure was captured by video cameras. The footage ultimately led to Palmese and Stevens being identified by investigators and subsequently arrested for the caper. They now face burglary and theft charges for the strange heist.
Adding an odd layer to the story, Palmese is not just a psychologist, but also a ghost hunter in her spare time and belongs to a group known as the Thames Society of Paranormal Investigations. As one can imagine, the organization was not exactly thrilled about being even tangentially connected to the alleged crime. To that end, the director of the group offered assurances they had nothing to do with the strangeness aboard the submarine. Be that as it may, while Palmese might not have been looking ghosts aboard the vessel, it certainly seems that the ship is haunting her now.