Stealing Steel

O.K., it's time to admit publicly what people in the office have known for a while: I read Waste News. What's more, occasionally there's a story that's not only informative but--dare I say it?--interesting. One recent example: Thieves are making off with manhole covers. Worldwide demand for steel is hovering around record levels as construction projects and auto/appliance manufacturing shift back into high gear. So the lids are a hot commodity both here and abroad. Although it's illegal for scrap dealers in the U.S. to knowingly purchase city property, manhole covers and sewer grates are either being chopped up into unrecognizable bits or sold on the black market. In fact, with a surge in prices for all types of scrap metal, communities are reporting that aluminum from bridges, guard rails and bleachers are disappearing as well.