Thieves steal 10-ton railway bridge in Czech Republic

WARSAW.  May 2. KAZINFORM An old 10-ton heavy railway bridge was dismantled and stolen during a broad daylight in the west of the Czech Republic, country's Pravo daily newspaper reported.

The metal bridge, built in 1901 over a river near the town of Slavkov in the province of Karlovy Vary, was taken away by an organized group of thieves using a crane and trucks.

Pavel Halla, a spokesman for the Czech Railways, said the thieves also stole some 200 meters (over 650 feet) of railway track, Kazinform has learned from RIA Novosti.

A police patrol stopped during the stealing of the bridge, but the thieves showed them forged documents, which stated an alleged agreement with the country's railways service to dismantle the old bridge, he added.

A spokeswoman for the police in Karlovy Vary said the total damage caused by the dismantled bridge and railway track, which were allegedly stolen for the scrap metal, could total some 120,000 Czech kronas (over $6,000), while Halla puts the figure at millions.