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Bedbugs Hit Brooklyn D.A.'s Office, Time Warner Building

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880/AP) -- So who is the latest victim of the city's bedbug infestation?

That would be Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes' office located at 350 Jay St.

Workers at the DA's office were sent a memo notifying them of the creepy, crawly situation and were given the option of going home early Friday.

One woman who works at the office told 1010 WINS' Glen Schuck that she was "very upset" to hear the news.

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"You could bring them home with you...they could be in your clothes...your home could be infested with it," she said.

A spokesman said they are addressing the situation inside the office.  The Health Department told 1010 WINS that bed bugs were found on at least four floors of the building and that the building owner is responsible for clearing the infestation.

Time Warner was also a bedbug victim Friday.  A company spokesperson said that a small section of its New York City headquarters was affected by the pests.

The company released a statement saying: "As part of a routine cleaning and preventive process, it was discovered that there were bed bugs present in a small contained area within Time Warner's offices. The problem was treated by professionals and is no longer an issue. "

Earlier Friday high-end Manhattan retailer Bergdorf Goodman said it had hired a beagle to hunt for bedbugs -- just in case.

Store spokeswoman Ginger Reeder said there have been no reported cases of the pesky bugs at the Fifth Avenue department store, but that it seemed prudent to go the extra mile.

LISTEN: WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reports the problem stretches from Brooklyn to 5th Ave.

The beagle has been on the prowl for several weeks, working at night after the store closes.

The bloodsucking pests have rapidly multiplied in recent years. They can slip into any tiny space, including floor cracks and wall outlets.

Retailers that have reported cases of bedbugs include Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister.

(TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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