Tons of steel beams stolen in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Thieves have been known to steal just about any piece of metal they can to sell as scrap, from copper pipes, to brass plaques, manhole covers and even aluminum bleachers.

But metal thieves in Springfield have taken it to a whole new level.

Springfield police say someone made off with six steel beams from 40 to 50 feet long each, weighing at least 72,000 pounds all together, sometime in the past week.

The beams, worth an estimated $10,000, were reported stolen from Associated Building Wreckers on Tuesday.

Police say whoever took them had to know what they were doing and would have needed heavy construction equipment to cart them off.

There are no suspects.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)