Spiderman Conquers the Petrona Tower 2 - 3rd Attempt

French climber Alain Robert, known as "Spiderman," climbs Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. Robert was arrested Tuesday after successfully scaling the iconic 88-story Petronas tower on his third attempt, police said. Alain Robert sneaked past security early Tuesday to climb to the top of Tower 2 of the landmark buildings in Kuala Lumpur before he was detained, said city Police Chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman. Robert is being investigated for criminal trespass, which carries a maximum jail term of six months and a 3,000 ringgit ($850) fine, he said. Robert has already tried to climb the Twin Towers twice but only reached the 60th floor both times before he was arrested. His last attempt was in 2007. The 47-year-old has climbed more than 70 skyscrapers worldwide, including the Empire State Building, the Sears Tower and Taipei 101, according to his Web site.

KUALA LUMPUR: French “Spiderman” Robert Alain Philippe was fined RM2,000 ($565) after he pleaded guilty to criminal trespass for scaling the Petronas Twin Towers. The 47-year-old was fined the amount in default of two months jail at the KL magistrate’s court on Wednesday.

The fine was set by magistrate Siti Shakirah Mohtaruddin after he pled guilty to criminally trespassing a building belonging to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre at Jalan Ampang here, a crime punishable under Section 447 of the Penal Code. He scaled Tower 2 of the Twin Towers at about 8.30am on Tuesday in his third attempt to conquer the building, and succeeded about two hours later. Dressed in dark grey pants and a teal jacket, he was brought into the dock in handcuffs.

His lawyer Wong Kian Kheong, in pleading for a lower sentence, told the court that Philippe was only climbing out of passion. "Everyone has a passion and my client's passion is to climb tall buildings. "He is not doing so for profit or publicity, he has caused no injury to the complainant, nor has he caused any damage to the property," he said. Wong added that his client had decided not to climb anymore buildings in the city so there was no fear of a repetition of his crime. "He has a ticket to fly back to Paris on Sept 7," he said. He added Philippe, a father of three children aged 16. 19 and 22, had also climbed for charity previously and had trained Malaysian fire fighters.

He also said the court should also take into consideration the fact that his client was certified as 60% disabled by French medical authorities, as a result of his climbing accidents. Siti Shakirah, in handing down her ruling, said no custodial sentence was imposed as he was a first time offender. "Spiderman" first tried to scale the building on March 20, 1997, and made a second unsuccessful attempt in 2007, after which he was freed without charge. Each time he reached the 60th storey before being intercepted by authorities.

He told reporters that he was "very happy" and that he was eyeing Dubai next.

Quotes:

"At first, I thought, 'Is he a window washer?' But he had no equipment."
— Kim Severson, a New York Times reporter who watched Robert climb the Times building in New York City in June 2008. (New York Times, June 6, 2008)

"He's endangering his own life and the lives of other people."
— Zee Mosher, 33, a graphic designer who witnessed the Times building attempt. (New York Times, June 6, 2008)

"I'm used to it now because I have to be. It's not his job, it's his passion."
— Nicole Robert, on her husband's dangerous pastime. (London Daily Telegraph, June 23, 2005)