‘Men at work’ steal bridge steel plates in Lingayen

LINGAYEN — Wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "DPWH" (Department of Public Works and Highways) markings and placing a road sign along the highway which read: "Caution: Men at Work," eight men stole in broad daylight three heavy steel plates on top of the Balococ Bridge near the boundary of Lingayen and Bugallon towns at around 6:30 a.m. onTuesday.

District Engineer Rodolfo Dion, of the Second Pangasinan Engineering District based in this capital town, told The STAR that the thieves carted away the steel plates without being questioned by residents living nearby or motorists at the national highway.

He said the suspects’ road sign were placed before and after the bridge while the suspects were hauling the three steel plates, measuring 4x8 feet each and weighing about 300 kilos.

Each steel plate costs around P12,000.

Residents who saw the suspects loading the steel plates in a blue Elf truck without license plates did not suspect that they were thieves.

An investigation made by Dion showed that the people who saw the suspects "at work" thought they were indeed DPWH employees and were just transferring the steel plates to another area.

Dion said he is going to send a report to Senior Superintendent Alan Purisima, police provincial director, to inform him of the incident so it will not be repeated anywhere in the province.

The cooperation of concerned citizens in reporting suspicious activities to the nearest police station is also needed, he said.

Steel plates are temporarily placed by real public works men at the Balococ Bridge, which is now being repaired.