Silverbird
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Philadelphia Streets Unsafe for Manhole Covers
By IAN URBINA (New York Times)
Published: July 23, 2008
.....Starting last year, [such] (manhole cover) thefts in Cleveland, Memphis, Miami and Milwaukee have more than doubled compared with other years, although New York reports no such increase.
“We have had our share of copper theft,” said Michael S. Clendenin, a spokesman for Con Edison in New York. But “New Yorkers are a pretty alert bunch and anyone trying to tuck a manhole under their arm in Times Square would look pretty suspicious.” He added that the utility’s covers weighed 300 pounds.
For most of the cities, the increase started in the spring of last year as the price of steel and iron surged because of a growing demand for recycled metals in China and India. Thieves have been pulling up anything metal — screen door frames, plumbing fixtures, copper wiring — they can get their hands on.
Long Beach is considering plastic covers, and Miami has started welding the covers in place. Cleveland is sealing manholes with tar, and Phoenix has assigned four police detectives to a task force that is investigating the thefts.....
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/u...=th&adxnnlx=1216826319-fYIPt/UpInbPYwj61LT40w
By IAN URBINA (New York Times)
Published: July 23, 2008
.....Starting last year, [such] (manhole cover) thefts in Cleveland, Memphis, Miami and Milwaukee have more than doubled compared with other years, although New York reports no such increase.
“We have had our share of copper theft,” said Michael S. Clendenin, a spokesman for Con Edison in New York. But “New Yorkers are a pretty alert bunch and anyone trying to tuck a manhole under their arm in Times Square would look pretty suspicious.” He added that the utility’s covers weighed 300 pounds.
For most of the cities, the increase started in the spring of last year as the price of steel and iron surged because of a growing demand for recycled metals in China and India. Thieves have been pulling up anything metal — screen door frames, plumbing fixtures, copper wiring — they can get their hands on.
Long Beach is considering plastic covers, and Miami has started welding the covers in place. Cleveland is sealing manholes with tar, and Phoenix has assigned four police detectives to a task force that is investigating the thefts.....
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/u...=th&adxnnlx=1216826319-fYIPt/UpInbPYwj61LT40w