[Niagara]

Is this a sign of things to come?

Missing sewer grates could pose danger to motorists

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')oronto - Police are trying to determine who has been stealing 150-pound sewer grates from Highway 427, leaving dangerous holes along the side of the highway.

The grates are disappearing from the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway, from Burnhamthorpe and Valhalla roads.

Police said the gaping holes could potentially swallow up the wheel of a car and cause a serious crash.

Fourteen lids have been stolen over the past two weekends.

MTO crews have replaced about half of the covers so far and are welding them on so they can't be easily removed again.

Police suggested the lids have become quite popular with thieves because of their value in the scrap metal market.

Officers who patrol the highway have also been alerted and will be watching for any suspicious activity.

It's believed the thieves may be posing as a construction crew and are most likely working at night.

[ProudFossil]

In New Mexico they are stealing man hole covers. The reason seems to be because they contain a high percentage of bronze, i.e., copper, which has a high recylce value.

[Cashmere]

Easily solved -

Crime for stealing public metal - minimum 1 year in jail.

Crime for accepting public metal at scrap yard from anybody but a public servant authorized to recycle scrap - minimum 10 years in jail.


What?

The scrap yard owner doesn't know that the man hole cover is stolen?

[Jdelagado]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', 'E')asily solved -
Crime for stealing public metal - minimum 1 year in jail.
Crime for accepting public metal at scrap yard from anybody but a public servant authorized to recycle scrap - minimum 10 years in jail.
What?
The scrap yard owner doesn't know that the man hole cover is stolen?

[neocone]

Obligatory shipment to Iraq for mandatory 1 year labor supporting the troops there upon conviction

[kokoda]

Metal theft is becoming a major problem ... particularly copper theft.

In some developing nations the locals are dismantling electrical power grids for the copper almost as fast as they are being built.

As other metals soar in value the problem will become even worse.

When you look at the potential consequences of these crimes I think that a short jail sentence is letting them off too lightly. Not only are they stealing but they are endangering life.

[jbrovont]

There are a couple different threads about this aren't there? Maybe we should merge them and start a theft watch thread or something. I know there was one about a guy getting cooked trying to steal from a power transfer station, and one about the man hole covers.

I agree this could become a very serious problem. A thief could potentially knock out power to thousands of people, or in an overloaded grid, cause even more serious damage if they cause the grid to tip over into failure and parts melt down.

[Wren]

In our town some meth heads stole a statue of Sacegawea. They sawed her off at the feet. They were eventually caught BECAUSE the owner of the recycle place called the police, which was "unprecedented" apparently. The theives had cut the statue into chunks and melted corners of the cuttings to try and disguise what it was, but all they did was vandalize it more. It was abeautiful piece, who knows if and when it can be replaced.

[ProudFossil]

Maybe we should give the crooks good time off for stealing some of the rusty wrecks which seem to be everwhere. Clean up the neighborhood some.

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ProudFossil', 'M')aybe we should give the crooks good time off for stealing some of the rusty wrecks which seem to be everwhere. Clean up the neighborhood some.

[Twilight]

What do you mean "now"? This was the first stuff to start getting stolen - years ago. "Now" they are bringing cutting equipment.

The solution in this case is a steel honeycomb tray filled with concrete. Very common over here. Not worth the trouble.

[Starvid]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('neocone', 'O')bligatory shipment to Iraq for mandatory 1 year labor supporting the troops there upon conviction

[pedalling_faster]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Niagara', 'I')s this a sign of things to come?

Missing sewer grates could pose danger to motorists

[neocone]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pedalling_faster', '
')Canada is getting their share of interesting Head lines recently

Suspect in decapitation slaying on bus charged with murder

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('neocone', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pedalling_faster', '
')Canada is getting their share of interesting Head lines recently
Suspect in decapitation slaying on bus charged with murder

[neocone]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', 'S')upersonic more often then not, but otherwise I agree.

[dovey]

they are also doing the stealing in the 4 corners, new mexico. figure stuuf like this will just get worse as the people with less have less and less.
dovey

[Starvid]

Now when we are talking about it, are fully automatic weapons like submachineguns, assault rifles, battle rifles or even machineguns legal in any US states?

I usually bash the US but I do love the country, I really do. Your gun and self defence legislation is so much better than what we have in Europe. Even if per capita gun ownership is greater in Sweden than in the US. Not to mention Finland...

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', 'N')ow when we are talking about it, are fully automatic weapons like submachineguns, assault rifles, battle rifles or even machineguns legal in any US states? I usually bash the US but I do love the country, I really do. Your gun and self defence legislation is so much better than what we have in Europe. Even if per capita gun ownership is greater in Sweden than in the US. Not to mention Finland...

[neocone]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', 'N')ow when we are talking about it, are fully automatic weapons like submachineguns, assault rifles, battle rifles or even machineguns legal in any US states? I usually bash the US but I do love the country, I really do. Your gun and self defence legislation is so much better than what we have in Europe. Even if per capita gun ownership is greater in Sweden than in the US. Not to mention Finland...