http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2011/july/273933/Twelve-sewer-grates-stolen-from-Manatee-County-roads

I'm kind of left scratching my head here as to why people want these things. I mean it's like stealing a stop sign what the heck are you going to do with it?

Looks like it's time for a sewer level to find out!

To be melted down for some cheap low graded metal.

This. Many people steal metal things like sewer grates to sell them. Easy money for homeless people I suppose.

Yep, had someone get caught around here doing this after the people realized it wasn't scrap metal but city property. The sad part is that getting the grates replaced is probably going to cost tax payers at least a grand <_<

How disappointing. I'd conjured this elaborate image of a brave new vigilante group arming themselves with, among other things, sewer grate shields.

Just money again huh.

Did you hear the one about the chick who stole the sewer grates?

Well, she was caught, now the town's trying to sue 'er.

:slap:

More signs of the type of society we live in. Perhaps the current administration should cease focusing on other trivial issues especially ones that take place over-seas and concentrating on correcting the issues in this country.

Many people are going to or on the verge of losing their homes (myself being one of them) through no fault of their own, because there is absolutely no aid to help them. Maybe it'll take millions of American's to be homeless before the US government helps its own people.

I had something to say about the actual theft of the covers but it's against forum rules. I'm sure some of you can figure out what it was.

...

...

I wonder why we couldn't steal the sewer grates in the Imperial City?

This.

I guess, lots of people steal copper wire from train tracks here for the same reason, copper prices are apparently quite high now. Damn them for all the delays they cause. Luckily one of them was stupid enough to electrocute himself a few months ago, maybe it'll act as a deterrent ^_^

The Ninja Turtles should be able to figure this out in no time...

Yup I know loads of guys who are practically fighting each other to take home any spare copper from whatever site they're working on. The shenanigans they pull on each other in an effort to grab as much copper as they can are quite funny.

On a semi-related note, I always wonder why are the sign posts in post-apocalypse movies and games (FALLOUT!) still standing? Shouldn't the metal thieves be stripping them bare already?

Today the sewers. Tomorrow the world!

The Ninja Turtles need to file an additional report for Breaking and Entering.

:facepalm:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OnlyInFlorida.

Although, to be honest, at first I was sure that this must have happened in West Virginia.

Sewer grates and manhole covers are heavy, I don't think it was a homeless person. Whoever stole them probably had a vehicle, and the means to cut them down, either to sell as scrap metal or for some bizzare use we will never know. Barbecue grates or somesuch.
I suspect a welder.

You know how some people have stone pillars in their yard with their family name on them? Those things weigh 200-300 pounds easily.

Someone I know stole $4000 worth of those once just for the sake of having them.

What's wrong with you :cryvaultboy:

"I go around stealing heavy, engraved stone pillars all day. What did you do yesterday?"

static shock?

It never ceases to amaze me what people will steal. One time somebody stole my dirty work clothes out of my car, but left my hydraulic jack alone...which was worth more than someones dirty clothes. A friend of mine described that incident like this; How would it look if the person who stole your car jack were spotted by the police toting that thing around the main drag? I responded with: Any different than watching the guy walk down the street (the main drag) in the middle of the night carrying a 30 foot ladder? I have actually seen this happen.

I've got no respect for a thief, I've been burned by them too many times to care what happens to them. I'll just take what I've learned and move on. My lesson learned is that you never lock your car doors because somebody that want's in your car bad enough, you won't have a window anymore...which costs you, the victim, even more money to replace. I've also learned a more valuable lesson, and that's to not keep anything in your car that you want to keep.