by Michael R. Allen
Scavengers strip homes in path of Hwy. 40 work – Elisa Crouch (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3)
What can we expect when this region does not regulate its antiques dealers or metal recyclers? To curb this theft, we need to curtail market incentives to steal. A good start would be requirements for metal recyclers and antiques dealers to get a copy of a photo ID before buying anything from anyone. Thus, the sale could later be reviewed by the police — something that both thief and fence would hate.
Obviously, theft is a crime but this article again neglects to point out that the thieves sell the stolen goods to dealers equally unscrupulous. Mentioning the dealers seems the great unspeakable act in all media coverage of architectural theft.