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Brothers Charged With Stealing Bridge

Posted by samzenpus on from the I-honestly-have-a-bridge-to-sell-you dept.

The Jones brothers may be criminals but they are not scam artists. When they try to sell you a bridge they're willing to deliver. The pair are accused of dismantling a western Pennsylvania bridge and selling the 15 1/2 tons of scrap metal for more than $5,000. From the article: "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. Authorities say Alexander Jones told a recycling company employee that he had permission to carve the bridge for scrap and showed the employee cellphone photos of the bridge. The recycling company called police."

9 comments

  1. Pricks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject.

  2. Sergeant Colon and Corporal Nobbs were right! by Quinn_Inuit · · Score: 1

    Bridge thieves actually _were_ a threat to the Brass Bridge in Ankh-Morpork. I thought they were just slacking off by guarding the bridge instead of actually investigating crimes, but it turns out they were right when they claimed to be several steps ahead of the criminal element. I stand corrected.

    --

    Stop learning! Only you can prevent esoterrorism.
  3. There's a reason... by smooth+wombat · · Score: 1

    we are sometimes known as Pennsyltucky.

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    We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
  4. This is kinda odd, though... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    from the picture, it sure doesn't look like the bridge was being used for anything. Seems to me, the boys were doing a service. maybe give the state a cut of the recycling money, but looks to me like they saved the state about 400 hours of labor!

    1. Re:This is kinda odd, though... by bky1701 · · Score: 1

      This is Pennsylvania. As someone who lived in Pittsburgh, I can tell you with certainty that 400 hours to dismantle a bridge of any size is so optimistic it is borderline idealism. Realistically, the state would fund a 10-year project to dismantle the bridge; and 10 years later, it would still be there. However, they would have placed copious amounts of those brightly colored road work barrels and numbers of signs threatening higher fines on the unused road...

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      Great Intellect...
  5. Joke's on them by operagost · · Score: 1

    They sold what experts claim was $100,000 of materials for $5,000. They got ripped off! Arrest the scrap yard owner, too!

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    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  6. following price by angivogue · · Score: 0

    Hard disk, the severe flooding in Thailand to drive the market chaos, the factory does not start,500G, 1TB, 2TB product, following up 10-20 $ yesterday after today.and the cheap wholesale clothing also following 1-3$.

  7. Double dipping by meerling · · Score: 1

    How can they be charged with receiving stolen property, when they are also being charged with stealing that same property?
    They apparently weren't given the stolen stuff, they stole it.
    They didn't buy it, they were trying to sell it.

    Sure, they're trouble making thieves with a destructive streak, but that's still no reason for the 'justice' system to falsify charges.

    Kind of makes me wonder if you speed in Pennsylvania, will they not only charge you with speeding, but also stealing gas from the cop car that pulled you over...

  8. If it was a bridge crossing to New Jersey.... by Chrisq · · Score: 1

    If it was a bridge crossing to New Jersey they should be given a reward!