Man allegedly stole 166 manhole covers

[Hum]

POINCIANA, FL Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said they arrested a man accused of stealing 166 steel manhole covers and attempting to sell them as scrap.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said Christopher Fink, 40, was arrested Thursday after the Toho Water Authority reported $22,000 worth of manhole covers missing Wednesday in Poinciana -- and Fink was caught attempting to sell the covers at local metal dealers, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Friday.

Fink was charged with felony counts of grand theft, dealing in stolen property and giving false verification to a secondhand metal dealer.

The sheriff's office said more charges are possible against Fink, who has been arrested six times since October 2011.

source

[Growled Member]

Times are hard everywhere I guess. He could have just stolen a few at the time, though.

[Hum]

Covers are safe around here -- I'm much too lazy to lift them. :p

[Nothing Here]

He should have melted then down first. At about 30$ a pop for scrap metal, he was looking at getting a pretty penny.

[Detection]

That must have put a drain on police resources, I hope they had enough officers to cover the hole thing

[Guth]

I thought they didn't take these as scrap anymore, because they are obviously stolen

However, I guess that at least a few scrap dealers won't care. Most i've been to are pretty rough and ready. I think they'd take anything :laugh:

[Hum]

It would also take quite a bit of heat energy to melt down 166 huge manhole covers.

The average person couldn't afford to do that.

[Detection]

I thought they didn't take these as scrap anymore, because they are obviously stolen

However, I guess that at least a few scrap dealers won't care. Most i've been to are pretty rough and ready. I think they'd take anything :laugh:

Yea I think all scrapyards around here have been warned not to accept scrap that is obviously stolen

[sagum]

Yea I think all scrapyards around here have been warned not to accept scrap that is obviously stolen

Problem with that is the rogue dealers will say, "Sorry dude - can't scrap that it looks to be nicked... but *looks around* if you want i'll take it off your hands" as if he's doing the guy a favor, when they both know its nicked. The theif gets ripped off, and goes out to nick more to make up for what he's lost out on.

[Detection]

Problem with that is the rogue dealers will say, "Sorry dude - can't scrap that it looks to be nicked... but *looks around* if you want i'll take it off your hands" as if he's doing the guy a favor, when they both know its nicked. The theif gets ripped off, and goes out to nick more to make up for what he's lost out on.

Some might yea, but if the scappy knows he could be expecting a spot check any day they most will avoid taking in anything suspect