As a civilization crumbles

Fury as New York prosecutors DROP looting charges against HUNDREDS arrested during riots last summer - with Manhattan DA 'too busy building his case against Trump'

• Manhattan and Bronx DAs have dropped hundreds of looting cases, data show
• Out of 603 arrests, 295 cases have been dismissed by prosecutors
• Only 93 reached conviction, mostly on lesser charges with no jail time
• Business owners express outrage the criminals who targeted them got off
• Prosecutors say they were overworked and didn't have enough evidence
• DA Vance is currently preoccupied preparing criminal case against Trump
• Vance's memo on looting charges stresses 'equitable treatment' for suspects 

Business owners and residents in New York City are expressing fury at the revelation that prosecutors have dropped looing and rioting charges against hundreds arrested during chaos that swept the city last summer. 

After 603 were arrested in Manhattan and the Bronx during the most intense days of looting last June, 295 of the cases have been dropped completely, according to NYPD data reported by WNBC-TV on Friday. 

Now Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr and Bronx DA Darcel D. Clark are facing tough questions about why hundreds walked free after the looting rampage caused an estimated tens of millions in damages.