10-tonne bridge stolen in Czech Republic

Warsaw, May 1 (IANS/RIA Novosti) An old 10-tonne railway bridge was dismantled and stolen in broad daylight in the Czech Republic.

According to the Pravo daily, the metal bridge, built in 1901 over a river near Slavkov town in Karlovy Vary province, was taken away by thieves using a crane and trucks.

Pavel Halla, spokesman for the Czech Railways, said the thieves also stole around 200 metres of railway track.

A police patrol questioned the thieves during the act, but the thieves showed the police some forged documents, which stated an alleged agreement with the country's railways to dismantle the bridge, he said.

A police spokeswoman 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).

--IANS/RIA Novosti

pm/vt