Thieves swiping manhole covers for cash
They’re not shiny like jewelry or spendable like cash, but it turns out manhole covers can be a valuable commodity. If you’re a thief that is.
Officials in Flint have been dealing with an “epidemic” of manhole cover thefts, and the crime has also plagued the city of Cleveland. Now manhole cover thieves have hit Washtenaw County as well.
A motorist drives by a manhole missing its cover in Flint.
Flint Journal photo
Police were able to locate the vehicle a short distance away and arrest two men, who had four manhole covers in their possession, two believed to be from the condominium complex and two from a closed auto dealership near Jackson and Wagner Road in Scio Township, Hughes said.
The suspects, a 33-year-old Scio Township man and a 30-year-old Brighton man, also had shopping carts taken from a Kroger store in the 1900 block of Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor, Hughes said. They were arrested on suspicion of receiving and concealing stolen property. The case has been forwarded to the Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office for review.
Three manhole covers were also reported stolen Tuesday from the 13000 block of North Lake Road in Dexter Township, but it’s not clear whether these thefts are related to the other incidents.
Officials in Flint have been scrambling to secure manhole covers and sewer grates after scrap metal thieves have swiped dozens from around the city, leaving gaping holes that have to be marked with barriers before an unsuspecting pedestrian falls in. Officials there say it’s not a new problem but has been escalating.
The price of scrap metal is relatively high right now, said Mike Swisher, an employee of Town and Country Used Parts, 3127 S. Wagner Road. That makes manhole covers, car parts like catalytic converters and even shopping carts an attractive target for thieves.
Swisher estimated a 200-pound manhole cover might bring $18.
Comments
Ann English
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 11:56 p.m.
Machine, "Shopping carts near every apartment complex and bus stop within a few miles of a Kroger," you said. Last week I noticed the proximity of the Greenbrier Apartments to Busch's on Green Road. Then there are rental units within walking distance of Trader Joe's. I'm going to start noticing what shopping carts are made of after this.
RJA
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 11:16 p.m.
These cowards, I made $18.00 (plus) taking my pop cans back to Country Mkt. the other day. It paid for bread, milk and pet food. It is hard for me to even think stealing grocery carts is the rage now, let alone the man hole covers. So many stupid acts going on all over the county.
BhavanaJagat
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 4:25 p.m.
I am more concerned about the potential for causing serious injuries and even death if manhole covers are removed. This is a dangerous crime. I know about a young woman, who was a bank official, lost her life when she fell into an unprotected manhole while riding her scooter on a flooded street. Accidnetal falls could cause very crippling injuries including the rupture of urethra. So, the issue is not about the cash worth of the manhole cover. It is a public safety issue and it poses a serious risk. We need to audit the inventories of scrap metal merchants regularly and punish them for unexplained inventory. A manhole cover, or shopping cart should be deemed as stolen and trading should not be allowed between private individuals and scrap merchants.
OldGerman
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1:33 p.m.
My Dear Ann Arbor City/State Attorneys, I assume these man-hole covers are paid for out of federal dollars to the state fund distributed for road repair etc., if that is the case, I would suggest that you have the feds posted up at these scrap yards and swiftly prosecute these businesses and allow someone with integrity to takeover ownership of them...
Huron74
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1:30 p.m.
Whether it's scrap metal theft or whatever-the-hell-else that people are currently complaining about more gold-plated $100K- a year cops aren't gonna change much. The thefts are a symptom not the problem itself. You want this highly destructive but financially miniscule type of crime to go away? Work toward a FULL EMPLOYMENT economy like we had in 1990's. Hiring more unionized doughnut eaters might mean more people get arrested and jailed (and who pays for them then?) but as we've seen from the dope wars there are always plenty more where they came from. Bottom line.
Buster W.
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:56 p.m.
Is the average manhole cover really 200 lbs.? I knew they were heavy, just not that heavy.
Elaine F. Owsley
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:02 p.m.
Seems hardly worth it to haul a big, heavy manhole cover away for $18. Hope the penalty is more than that; enough to pay for all the time spent tracking the things down, posting the hole, and replacing the cover.
Huron74
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1:21 p.m.
I hate to burst your bubble Elaine but there are plenty of people that are desperate, stoopid, and/or sociopathic enough. Try having a $2500 generator ripped ripped apart to get $60 worth of copper wire. To be even more blunt there are people out there who'd kill or maim you for not much more than that and not give it another thought.
walker101
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 11:58 a.m.
The thugs have arrived. It's been an on going problem in the cities of Detroit, Flint and Cleveland and now A2. <a href="http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/23897024/detail.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/23897024/detail.html</a>
yadabuster
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 9:19 a.m.
More Police on the street generally only lowers the morning donut selection. More effective investigators is what this problem begs. These people caught are prime candidates for street sweepers details and graffit removal YEAR ROUND!!
huh7891
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 10:12 a.m.
Police aren't the only ones that eat donuts. I'm heading to the Dexter Bakery right now. Hope I don't fall in a hole with missing cover on the way there....Yummmmm
Goober
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 8:17 a.m.
Oh, yes. A few more police on the street will definitely stop these and others crimes from occurring.
BernieP
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1:58 a.m.
Weren't these guys on Canadian Reality TV from Sunnyvale? That's the way she goes boys.
CynicA2
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1:55 a.m.
The crooks are getting the word! It was just a matter of time before they figured it out. 40% less cops is 40% less to worry about if committing a crime. Fewer eyes and ears out there, folks. Just remember that the Hieftje said "crime is down", when you get mugged on your way to the polling place next election day.
lester88
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1:03 a.m.
Remember folks, crime is steadily going down according to the Ann Arbor Mayor. This is a result of people stealing metal to pay for alcohol tickets at U of M football games.
smokeblwr
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:46 a.m.
How much can a manhole cover or even a shopping cart be worth in scrap? In comparison, how much is a 8000lb safe worth?
smokeblwr
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1:19 a.m.
Oh, and another crime committed in AA by people from... . . . OUT OF TOWN!!!! The Wall. Buld it.
smokeblwr
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1 a.m.
Hah! I didn't read the last line of the article but I read it again because I read everything on AA.com twice cause that's how I roll. Manhole cover brings $18.
Tru2Blu76
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:07 a.m.
Here's a tip: I heard a couple of days ago at a Kroger store that that store and all other area Krogers are coming up short in their shopping cart inventories. It was plainly stated: someone's stealing shopping carts on a large scale.
Machine
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 2:19 p.m.
There are shopping carts near every apartment complex and bus stop within a few miles of a Kroger. Those carts have to go somewhere after they are "borrowed" to transport the groceries.
Huron74
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:50 a.m.
Meijers and WalMart have already switched to plastic carts and that's a trend I expect to continue given the price of stainless steel, chromium, and nickel.
breadman
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:32 a.m.
Those carts, each and everyone of us cost in the food prices. Steal them there goes food prices too cover for the cart.
Huron74
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 10:35 p.m.
It already is Fat Bill. Illegal anyway. Scrap metal dealers in Michigan have to copy your ID and take a thumbprint. Out-of-state licenses are not accepted. Most pay by check only too. Of course that doesn't stop crooks or people very desperate for cash though. I make a big chunk of my income from scrap metal salvage and I anticipate this problem is only gonna get worse if the economy doesn't pick up soon.
Huron74
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:48 a.m.
Ah Dennis, if you read the story no scrap dealer bought their stuff. Somebody reported them and the cops caught 'em before they tried to sell it. If you try and sell stuff that is marked as government property they will call the cops. I've seen it myself.
DennisP
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:39 a.m.
So why are they buying them? It seems to me that someone comes in lugging 4-5 manhole covers from different communities, it should send alarm bells ringing that these are probably "hot". Likewise if someone drags in a few shopping carts that say Kroger on 'em. If the thieves cut off the i.d. bar on the handle, I'd be even more suspicious. I can understand that scrap dealers can't expect to screen everything but somethings are obvious. What else is obvious is that there are scrap dealers willing to look the other way.
Mr. Ed
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 10:16 p.m.
Whats a class C felony.
Pilgrim
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 11:02 p.m.
something bad
Kent2525
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 10:06 p.m.
And this has something to do with Ann Arbor, how?
jcj
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 2:36 a.m.
Need to work on the attention span so you can read a whole half page article!
The Watchman
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 1:08 a.m.
Because the Condo and the Kroger store are in the Ann Arbor City limits.
lester88
Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 12:59 a.m.
Does the Ann Arbor Police arresting someone in Ann Arbor for stealing them in Ann Arbor give you a clue?
Huron74
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 10:45 p.m.
I saw two guys with Ohio plates try and sell a chunk of rail road track one time. Idiots. The local cops and railroad police busted them before they could cash the check. This field is pretty regulated already at least as far as it can be. But to Fat Bill's point obviously stolen property is reported if the salvage business wants to stay in business. And I don't put it past the authorities to run sting ops against them just keep them honest.
thehawk
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 10:12 p.m.
Maybe because there are thefts of manhole covers in Ann Arbor, as well as surrounding areas. Did you read the article?
Fat Bill
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 9:38 p.m.
How about a law that says buying a manhole cover with a municipal ID from anyone other than an authorized representative from the municipality involved is a class 'C' felony? There are hordes of shady scrappers around; if nobody buys manhole covers, scrappers are less likely to mess with them...