Court issues landmark ruling in case of metal theft

Santo Domingo.- A National District judge Monday sent a lawyer and owner of a scrap metal business Najayo Prison for three months to await trial, charged with possessing steel parts stolen from a bridge.

The landmark ruling handed down by Permanent Attention judge Alejandro Vargas states that Maria Luisa Batista, 39, owner of the scrap metal business Marisol, had in her possession 14 steel lamp posts stolen late last year from the bridge Francisco del the Rosario Sanchez (La 17), in Santo Domingo.

The indictment stems from an investigation on a tip received by the National Police Patrimony Thefts Department, that unidentified individuals had stolen the bases of the lamp posts which light the bridge and were then sold to metal dealers in that same sector of the National District.

Also late last year the bridge across Haina River partially collapsed after thieves stole steel parts including nuts and bolts, leading to a costly repair.