60-ton bridge in Russia was stolen and sold for scrap

RT (Russia) reported that officials suspect that thieves took the bridge to sell for scrap for just over $ 15,000. Local activist Svetlana Konovalova reported on July 24 about the mysterious disappearance of the entire bridge, estimated to weigh at least 60 tons, in the Ryazan region, about 200 km southeast of Moscow.

She told the media that the bridge had been privatized by a local railway company, with all the necessary paperwork to prove ownership. However, a group of people found documents stating that the structure did not belong to anyone, so they dismantled it.

Ms Konovalova added that the real owner of the bridge then asked the police to investigate the incident. The local police department confirmed on July 26 that they had received a complaint about “the disappearance of a metal structure belonging to a non-functioning railway bridge” more than a week ago. The local police department confirmed that a criminal investigation had been opened.

Konovalova described the missing bridge as “a huge Soviet-era structure,” saying she was surprised that no one had noticed the dismantling operation, which could take days. She also called on law enforcement to bring the perpetrators to justice and make them rebuild the bridge.

Meanwhile, the 60-ton bridge, or what remains of it, has turned up at a local scrap yard. The thief reportedly received 1.3 million rubles ($380 million) for the metal. The bridge is estimated to be worth 300 million rubles.

Police confirmed to TASS that the bridge was not operational, adding that the railway line was not under the jurisdiction of local authorities or other state agencies. Local residents use the bridge as a shortcut to nearby settlements.