Two men arrested for 'stealing' road in China
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NANTONG, China - A concrete public road in eastern China has lost its entire top layer - not stripped by an approved contractor, but by two men who illegally dug it out and sold the slabs to line their own pockets, the local media reported.

"A road in Nantong - the whole 410m of it - 'stolen' in just two days" went headlines in Chinese newspapers about the unusual case.

According to Guancha, a Shanghai-based news portal, the rural road in Nantong city, about 130km north-west of Shanghai, was completed in 2008 and was in good condition.

The "theft" was discovered some two weeks ago by a villager who called the local police to inquire why the road had been suddenly shorn of its surface, reported Guancha.

When a check with the village committee confirmed that there was no plan to remove the road, the police studied pictures filmed by roadside cameras and spotted a farm vehicle that had been used to transport the slabs.

The owner of the vehicle, who is surnamed Gu, owned up when he was approached by the police, saying: "As this road was not often used, I thought I might as well dig out some stuff and make some money."

Full story: http://news.asiaone.com/news/crime/two-men-arrested-stealing-road-china

-- asiaone 2015-04-28

Surely a Monty Python sketch.

I thought I had heard everything, but this beats it all.

What's the going price for used road slabs?

I heard the Scots are also prone to nicking roads. The details are all in the song "ye tek the high road an a'll tek the low road". It's a strange old world.

Den

Surely a Monty Python sketch.

+1...They were some funny guys.

"As this road was not often used, I thought I might as well dig out some stuff and make some money."

Blame the GPS, the road never existed

in the first place, it was never there,

That's why the roads are so bad in the LoS. The top of the roads have been nicked . " 'ere , fancy a new road outside your gaff ? " " I can 'ave one 'ere tomollow if you are interested ferlung "

I heard the Scots are also prone to nicking roads. The details are all in the song "ye tek the high road an a'll tek the low road". It's a strange old world.

Den

Aye, take the tar Mac.

That's why the roads are so bad in the LoS. The top of the roads have been nicked . " 'ere , fancy a new road outside your gaff ? " " I can 'ave one 'ere tomollow if you are interested ferlung "

In Thailand the top layer gets nicked before it is laid down, mainly by the road constructor.

That took imagination and balls. Hard to find those skils nowadays.

I hope they don't plan to make 'Rocky Road' ice cream with it.

What's next, steal the concrete foundation from under a house?

I heard the Scots are also prone to nicking roads. The details are all in the song "ye tek the high road an a'll tek the low road". It's a strange old world.

Den

Aye, take the tar Mac.

The police had concrete evidence of a roadnapping.

As the road was not used often, he didn't steal it. He recycled it.

Good for you guys, these are some great one line responders. haven't had such a good laugh in a while

You are all off base with this one. The theme is from the following song by Ray Charles.

Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more,

Hit the road Jack, and don't come back nor more, etc.

and becomes,

Take the road, Jack, and then come back for more, for more, for more, for more,

Take the road Jack, and then come back for more, etc.

A few years ago, a contractor in Mexico PAINTED a 5km stretch of roads. Black on the road then the white markers. No one noticed until it rained!

In Thai cities, they just use the sidewalk (and sometimes road) for the floor of their stall or as a base for their sidewalk-blocking sign. No need to nick it.

I heard the Scots are also prone to nicking roads. The details are all in the song "ye tek the high road an a'll tek the low road". It's a strange old world.

Den

Aye, take the tar Mac.

Mac didn't need to take it. Mac invented it

As the road was not used often, he didn't steal it. He recycled it.

Yep. old road becomes re-cycled track. keep'em coming lads.

Who was it that said " .........he was driving home one dark night and a cat was caught in the head lights of his car and he invented the cats eyes , now in use in every country , however if the cat has been walking away from the car he would of invented the pencil sharpener "

Ha, Ha, ha... Columbus said basically the same thing when he discovered America..."As this land was not often used, I thought I might as well dig out some stuff and make some money ." and the seed of capitalism was planted along side of the flag. And now, China....oh no.....