Top Crane Inspector Arrested for Taking Bribes

The city's Department of Investigation and the New York District Attorney's office just announced the arrest of a high-ranking crane inspector for bribery and tampering with public records.

Defendant James Delayo, the acting chief inspector for cranes and derricks and a 26-year Buildings Department veteran, has been arrested for taking bribes in exchange for helping recertify cranes without the proper inspections; for certifying individuals as crane operators without their having taken the appropriate exames; and for, "giving a copy of the crane operator’s examination to a crane company operator in exchange for $3,000."

All of these bribes supplemented his annual salary of $74,000.

Mr. Delayo, a 60-year-old Bronx resident, will be arraigned this evening.

The arrest follows two recent and spectacular crane collapses, one on East 51st Street and the other on East 91st Street, which killed a total of nine people and resulted in the resignation of Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster.

“I'm outraged by today’s news," said Acting Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri, in a statement. "Employees who violate our Code of Conduct tarnish the reputation of our many hard-working employees at the Buildings Department. I’d like to thank Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn and her staff for their swift action. There is much work to be done with the Cranes & Derricks Unit, and we are in the midst of a full operational overhaul. Our number one priority is to ensure the Department’s staff conduct their jobs with the utmost integrity as we continue to forge ahead with our reforms.”