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We guess this is what happens when you live in the suburbs. Oak Lawn has recently had a rash of theft. The object, manhole covers. There's been eight stolen since mid March, but authorities think it's more than just a prank.
Police suspect that the 125-pound covers are being sold to recyclers for cash, as the price of metal is at an all-time high. In fact, MetalPrices.com, which tracks the market price of metals, announced today that the cost of a bundle of scrap steel in the USA went up $150-$155 dollars, making the current price between $550-$565/GT (gross ton).
The mostly iron covers cost $150 each, but they cost the city $240 to replace with labor costs.
A similar fate is believed to have met the Newberry Library's 150-pound steel sculpture "Umanita", stolen in mid-February.
Lincoln Park manhole image by ManHole.ca
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I was reading this insane article in The NewYorker about how nickels actually cost a dime to make because of the amount of metal that is used to make...apparentlt the last time metal prices were this high in the 1960's, bank employees and people who had knowledge of exchange rates asked to be paid in dimes and nickels.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/31/080331fa_fact_owen
@Spav:
That's absolutely ridiculous, maybe I should cash my paycheck in for metal.
Thanks for the link.
Fuck metal, I want to be paid in Euro's.
And last week, I got a 20 Euro tip on a $100 bill. I had to explain to everyone why that rocked.
@plumbum:
That is indeed awesome.
i once got a £20 GBP tip. thats like the EURO squared. that lonely british businessman sure was generous.
"I had to explain to everyone why that rocked."
Seriously, people don't know how much the dollar has declined against nearly all major currencies lately? That's sad.
D'Amico
how you gone have a name like D'Amico and not know what's Hood! I mean even though your more Elmwood Park Hood still you're your suppose to know what’s hood all over Chicago!
Brothas are smoking those covers!
Well, they're selling them first and then smoking up the profits! If you don't belive me then ask Dave Chappelle's boy "Tyrone Biggums"!
@Spook:
Darlin' I ain't never even been to Elmwood Park. I'm from the NYC D'Amico's not the midwestern ones.
Excuse me while I run and hide in shame, I’ve been out done!
I'd love to find a 20 euro bill right now. That's worth, like, $2000 or something.
US currency sucks. Thanks republicans.
"Labor costs", aka 4 fat guys standing around while the new guy rolls the new cover off the truck and eases it into place.
why don't people crack down on the metal buyers for buying manhole covers? do they think these are just random finds?
@ mike -
so you saw that this morning too, then?
hey thoms ... those guys are Todd Stroger's second cousin's removed and they need their cut too!
@Matilda:
It's not like I work in a rocket science lab.
Or an Economics department.
Or a decent restaurant.
those calculations seem right to me. it usually takes $240 and 4 men to cover MY manhole.
Celery...first of all I love your condiment. It's changed the way I've eaten hot dogs. Secondably, I did see that this morning but we could be referring to anything. "that" could be going on anywhere in the city, at any time.
About that "...in the suburbs" phrase. Oak Lawn is not certainly not Barrington.
My folks live there, and there are "commuters" (i.e., thieves) that come over from the South Side for burglaries, shoplifting, etc.
Just to be clear, I meant that my folks live in Oak Lawn. Sorry for the muddled writing!
comment of the day: peteypants.
Assuming a manhole cover weighs 100 pounds, at the current prices that means the thieves would probably net about twenty bucks each. Seems like an incredibly large hassle for that kind of money -- they should stick to stealing copper from construction sites...
yeah, there aren't actually any criminals in the suburbs. god only knows that a criminal is going to drive from the south side to oak lawn to steal a manhole cover. i mean, there aren't any manhole covers on the southside after all.
you're a freaking idiot. The thief is probably your old man, ward up.
OK, I'll check my Dad's closet in Oak Lawn for manhole covers.
As for the commuters from the South Side, the last time they caught a burglar on my parents' block, the guy's home address was near 79th and Racine.