American Entrepreneurial Spirit: Pennsylvania Brothers Accused of Stealing Bridge

[Tiassa]

Crime and ... Say What?

It's only Monday, but we have our first nomination for lede of the week:

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.

(Associated Press)​

That's all there really is to it at this time. Benjamin and Alexander Jones of New Castle have been charged with criminal mischief, theft, receiving stolen property, and conspiracy.

If guilty—you know, innocent until, as it goes—the brothers might also qualify as nominees for the world's biggest idiots. According to authorities, Alexander Jones brought photographs of the fifty-foot Covert's Crossing Bridge to a local recycling yard, claiming he had permission to salvage it. The recycling company, as we might have imagined, called the police.

Fifteen and a half tons of bridge for $5,179. I wonder what it will cost to replace the thing?
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Notes:

Associated Press. "Brothers charged with stealing western Pa. bridge, selling 15.5 tons of scrap metal for $5,179". Washington Post. October 15, 2011. WashingtonPost.com. October 17, 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...tal-for-5179/2011/10/15/gIQAjFAimL_story.html

 

[RedRabbit]

Did they actually remove it?

Or is it like the guy who 'sold' the Eiffel Tower ?

 

[cosmictraveler]

I wonder what it will cost to replace the thing?

I'll do it for a mere $30,000.00, paid in advance of course.

I'll even throw in a picture of the new bridge too!

 

[Tiassa]

Aye, as far as I can tell

Did they actually remove it?

That is presently my understanding:

A bandit, or possibly several, has stolen a privately owned steel bridge from a secluded area in Lawrence County.

The Covert's Crossing bridge in North Beaver Township has been in the area since at least the early 1900s, according to the Lawrence County Historical Society.

State police suspect someone used a torch to tear apart the bridge, which was worth an estimated $100,000, sometime between Sept. 27 and Wednesday.

"I couldn't believe it," said Gary Bruce, a spokesman for New Castle Development, the company that owns the bridge, which was 50 feet long and 20 feet wide. "It's a lot of work."

Mr. Bruce said members of a nearby business infrequently used the bridge to transport materials and have another road they can use in its absence. He said he hadn't been on the bridge in about a month and reported the theft to state police after a neighbor told him it was missing.

(Navratil)​

I mean, as thefts go ....

At any rate, maybe I should put this in UFOs, Ghosts, and Monsters; the bridge was allegedly haunted by the ghost of a prom queen.
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Notes:

Navratil, Liz. "Lawrence County steel bridge stolen". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 7, 2011. Post-Gazette.com. October 17, 2011. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11280/1180364-455.stm

 

[RedRabbit]

That is presently my understanding:

Christ on a bike!

So between the 27th of Sept. and the 5th of October nobody saw anything suspicious?

I have to give them credit for that. Danny Ocean wouldn't even attempt that with 13 friends.

 

[Trippy]

I believe this is the bridge in question:

​

Addendum:
This is purely speculation on my part, but my suspicion is that this would have been achieved over multiple nights, and that given the area is wooded, it would probably have been achieved by having a an 'official looking' "bridge out" road block far enough up the road that the bridge would be difficult, or impossible to see, but far enough from the turnoff from the main road that it would attract unwanted attention (for example, from officials whom should know that the bridge was out, and had not been informed).

Mod Note: I replaced a broken image link with a working one from a different website entirely. Why? Why not, I guess.

 

[Trippy]

As for the Hrmmmmm factor....

They got fined 20,000 USD for selling something worth 100,000 USD for 5,000 USD...