London residents, in common with folk in any major town or city, are used to seeing workmen tearing up roads and footpaths.
They are all too familiar with the scenario of the council laying some nice new road surfacing, only for a gas contractor to tear a large hole in it to upgrade some pipe work. Once the gas has left, a telecoms team will then arrive on scene to tear up that which has just been filled in (or so the story goes).
But this familiar tale has now taken a new turn.
It seemed like business as usual when workmen descended on the streets of Camden recently. Until, that is, it became clear that they were actually a gang of well-organised thieves stealing the York stone paving.
According to the Evening Standard, police and the council are investigating five thefts of York stone at locations around the borough. Camden says the gang use what appear to be official barriers so the works site looks authentic.
That may well be. but I have a friend who used to work as a street works inspector for a large central London borough and appreciate how thorough these folk can be. One can only wonder how this one slipped through Camden’s net.
