Crime How Does an Entire Bridge Go Missing?

[The Helper]

Police in North Beaver Township, Pennsylvania are scratching their heads right now. Why? A 50-foot long, 20-foot wide steel bridge just disappeared. How? Apparently, some very bold criminals just up and stole it.

Stealing a bridge, as you'd imagine, is a pretty complicated crime. This isn't some 90s era magic trick people. The local police suspect that the bridge robbers worked at this for over a month. They presumably used a blow torch to cut the corrugated steel and then somehow moved the pieces—steel beams and such— to sell for scrap metal. That couldn't have been easy as each foot was estimated to weigh hundreds of pounds. But why oh why would you even bother stealing a bridge? Because the scrap metal is estimated to be $100,000. Oh.

How Does an Entire Bridge Go Missing?

Police in North Beaver Township, Pennsylvania are scratching their heads right now. Why? A 50-foot long, 20-foot wide steel bridge just disappeared. How? Apparently, some very bold criminals just up and stole it.

gizmodo.com

 

[Varine]

Or MAYBE... it was the Death Eaters? This reminds me of an article I read a while ago about church in Russia that was stolen.

 

[Wummi]

So, epic fail for the residents in the city? How can you not notice something as big as a bridge go missing and only notice it many days later? I'd notice if the streetlamp at the end of my block went missing.

 

[Switch33]

People are more inventive than other people realize. A single person can lift a car up and 2 people can lift a car up and move it a large distance. And on the BBT channel or wtever they showed a crazy person basically running/jumping off a 2 manned bike into an truck successfully and then throwing an sheep into the side cabin of that same bike almost effortlessly looking.

They presumably used a blow torch to cut the corrugated steel and then somehow moved the pieces—steel beams and such— to sell for scrap metal. That couldn't have been easy as each foot was estimated to weigh hundreds of pounds. But why oh why would you even bother stealing a bridge? Because the scrap metal is estimated to be $100,000. Oh.

But honestly, what would you want with a bridge? Lots of steel screws and stuff? Well the money i guess; but thats a lot of work it seems. And yeah a blow torch is the only way to do it. It's definitely an more elaborate crime for sure. Seems like it could have been easier than robbing a bank cause it's at least a bit less suspecting.

 

[Varine]

How would you explain that if someone came up when you were cutting it?

 

[Bartuc08]

It seems as the nation goes into decline people are finding different ways to make money. This is rather interesting, but not nearly as bizarre as the headline makes it seems, still ingenious.

 

[xPass]

Aliens? Remember that whale story yesterday?
THERE IS A CONSPIRACY!!

:lolwut:

 

[FireCat]

Why in the world would aliens steal a bridge?

 

[Hatebreeder]

Why in the world would aliens steal a bridge?

Aliens want to compensate for something

 

[Accname]

Something like this once happened in my hometown, its true.
It was an old railroad bridge for freight trains which wasnt used for days, it was a larger group of criminals who cut it in pieces and transported it to several recycling yards to sell it as scrap metal.
However, the guys at the recycling stations informed the police because the metal pieces looked very suspicious and they were caught eventually.
The bridge was not rebuild because it basically wasnt in use anymore.
The town did benefit from this because the mayor could then sell the pieces of scrap metal and they didnt have to destroy the bridghe themselfs which they would have needed to do eventually.

Was hillarious news, the whole town had a good laugh for almost two weeks.

 

[xPass]

Something like this once happened in my hometown, its true.
It was an old railroad bridge for freight trains which wasnt used for days, it was a larger group of criminals who cut it in pieces and transported it to several recycling yards to sell it as scrap metal.
However, the guys at the recycling stations informed the police because the metal pieces looked very suspicious and they were caught eventually.
The bridge was not rebuild because it basically wasnt in use anymore.
The town did benefit from this because the mayor could then sell the pieces of scrap metal and they didnt have to destroy the bridghe themselfs which they would have needed to do eventually.

Was hillarious news, the whole town had a good laugh for almost two weeks.

Well, they should have requested the mayor to pay them for the job instead of doing it illegally. Nevertheless, the mayor is one smart aleck xD

 

[The Helper]

Update - it was not Aliens lol!

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Two brothers have been charged with stealing a western Pennsylvania bridge and selling the 15 1/2 tons of scrap metal for more than $5,000.

Police say 24-year-old Benjamin Arthur Jones and 25-year-old Alexander Williams Jones of New Castle used a blowtorch to break up the bridge in late September or early October. They face felony charges of criminal mischief, theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...tal-for-5179/2011/10/15/gIQAjFAimL_story.html

 

[FireCat]

Aliens want to compensate for something

Update - it was not Aliens lol!

Well, that sucks for "Aliens now. doesn't it?

 

[camelCase]

Oh, FireCat, we humbly apologize for doubting your sound logic.
We, in future, hope that you will continue to bless us with your words of wisdom.
May we all become more experienced as life and you teach us all that we need to know.

 

[Varine]

Five grand? That's it? Apparently it wasn't a very frequented bridge.

 

[FireCat]

Five grand? That's it? Apparently it wasn't a very frequented bridge.

No wonder! The bridge was made of "scrap metal
Just Imagine, a bridge made of gold!

LOL @camelCase

 

[Varine]

No wonder! The bridge was made of "scrap metal
Just Imagine, a bridge made of gold!

LOL @camelCase

15 tons of it. Scrap metal's expensive bro.