Deceased Man Identified Through Dental Records After Thief Pickpockets His Belongings Following Fatal Accident

KEY POINTS

The pedestrian was hit by the truck when he was attempting to cross the road
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene
Several people expressed disgust at the stealing incident

The New York Police Department deputies used dental records and fingerprints to identify a pedestrian, who was crushed to death by a construction truck, after a crook pickpocketed his dead body.

The victim, believed to be in his 50s, was mowed down by the truck when he was attempting to cross Eighth Avenue at West 44th Street on Oct. 6 at around 11:30 p.m. ET, according to the New York Post.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, Patch reported.

Cops were forced to rely on his dental records after his wallet went missing, impeding the possibility to locate his kin to inform them about his untimely death.

"We've already lifted prints, and waiting on dental," a police source told the New York Post. "Thankfully they didn't steal his teeth too."

While the horrified onlookers were trying to process the turn of events, one woman approached the body and swiped his wallet.

What's worse, a number of witnesses even cheered her on as she stole from the victim. A video of the sick act was reportedly filmed by one of the witnesses and has been making rounds online, the outlet added.

"Go ahead, gangsta," one man was heard saying in the video. "Go ahead!"

The unidentified thief, wanted for grand larceny, hasn't been caught yet. The driver involved in the accident hasn't also been charged and it remains unclear whether he will be.

Responding to the incident, other people said the robbery was highly "disturbing."

"That's crazy," a sanitation worker told the New York Post. "How can you steal from a body on the street? That's f–ked up. You've got to be at your lowest to do that."

Security guard Luis Ortiz said the theft was a standout compared to other incidents in the city.

"Living in New York you expect to see some weird things," Ortiz said. "But to go through a body and steal? That's a new level. It's sad to believe you could be a person who goes through a dead person's pockets."

Another local named Sandra said she was "horrified." "That's really a whole new level of horrificness," Sandra said.