15,000 tiles stolen from the municipality of Groningen. ‘The total damage is estimated at about 50 thousand euros’ Photo: Google Streetview
For the repaving of the Heymanslaan, 550 square meters of stones were stored on a site belonging to the municipality. But the tiles, about 15 thousand pieces, have been stolen. “We have never experienced this before: such a large amount,” says a spokesperson for the municipality.
15 thousand tiles. You don’t just put it in a trailer. Then how were they stolen? The council has no idea and is stunned. “The bricks were stored on pallets. At the end of March we found out that they were gone.”
Double check site safety
The spokesperson would not disclose the exact location of this municipal site. “We don’t want to wake up sleeping dogs,” he explains. But the event is a reason to look at the safety there. “There are fences, but there were no cameras. They have been able to go about their business unseen.”
Total damage: 50 thousand euros
The total damage is estimated at around 50 thousand euros, the spokesperson said. This concerns the costs for the new bricks, but also for the temporary paving of Heymanslaan. Hopefully the first will pay for the insurance, the second will be for the municipality.
Heymanslaan temporarily paved with cheap stones
The Heymanslaan had to be paved again, because the sewerage system in the district has been replaced. At the moment there is nothing. Are the residents still in the mud for months now? Not according to the municipality. The Heymanslaan will still be paved, but with cheaper bricks: a temporary solution. New bricks have already been ordered. Once there are, the street is paved with those stones.
Residents will receive a letter, municipality promises
“It is just as annoying for the residents,” the spokesperson acknowledges, “but we try to ensure that they experience as little nuisance as possible.” He says that the contractor will shortly update the residents by letter. The municipality has not yet filed a complaint.