Surprise! Google Earth used for robbery

Lead roof tiles are worth a lot of money. And you'll find them, in the United Kingdom, at least, on the top of schools, museums, churches, and the Houses of Parliament.

I may be wrong about the last one, but Tom Berge, a man who truly appreciates the free part of free enterprise, knew where he could pinpoint such buildings: Google Earth.

He sat at his computer, googled away, selected his targets (mercifully, the roofs were unblurred), got into his car, and climbed less than socially toward his riches. He managed to collect about $140,000 worth of lead, which he sold to unsuspecting merchants.

This sign was, apparently, recently hung in front of the Honeywood Museum, one of Mr. Berge's targets. The museum does not appear to legislate for shoes on the roof.

(Credit: Cc Kevan)

A friend of Berge revealed to the Telegraph: "He could tell the lead roofs apart on Google Earth, as they were slightly darker than normal."

Mr. Berge, aged a mere 27, pleaded guilty last week--no, not to an appreciation for official buildings, but rather to theft.

He received a less than leaden eight-month suspended jail sentence and 100 hours of community service. I wonder if he'll be asked to repair a few church roofs.

[ajhoughton]

While the article raises a serious point, it's a shame about the bad English on the sign, don't you think? Have these people not heard of sentences? Not to mention the silly and unnecessary mention of "health and safety". Apparently good English and common sense are no longer expected of the inhabitants of the British Isles.

[HITMAN1659]

tats not cool man tat sign in picture

[lifeshard]

$140,000 worth of lead? there appears to be an error in this report. The person must of been selling them for Tiles or Art or something other than just as recycled lead. Current USA price for lead is about 25 cents a pound to make $140,000 USA at .25cents a pound thats 560000 pounds of lead or 280 tons of lead. To carry 280 tons of tiles off roofs is a lot of work, how would he transport it? A one ton truck parked beside the building and he did it 250 times?? Being a USA scrap seller I just having trouble understanding how that much weight and volume was being removed and hauled away. Then again he got caught right? Must of been the ldling dump trucks parked on peoples lawns.
Just wondering.
lifeshard

[Dalkorian]

It would only be 90 trips if he had a 3 ton truck.
;-)

[clamenza]

One of my pet peeves is typing things like "must of". It's "must've", or "must have". "Must of" is nonsensical.

[jafarm66]

Sarcasm on - If his trial was in the US, his defense attorney would have said "He was protecting tots from lead exposure" which would lead to the tiles being banned from use. - Sarcasm off

[Tomofumi]

yet another creative use of Google Earth.... :)

[nicmart]

This has nothing to do with "free enterprise," and the association is foolish.

[W1gglesnarf]

Whats sad is I know people who were suprised by this....

[myles taylor]

pleaded? Shouldn't it be pled?

[spacydog]

Both past tense forms are correct.

[myles taylor]

I understand that they are both correct (I checked before I posted) but it sounds better to say pled.

[zhok]

looking for some weird and secret places from google earth? try this...
http://www.caughtfromabove.com
Hope you enjoy ;)