Gates Stolen by Gowanus Gear Heads

The Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn definitely has some punk gear heads in its midst.

Cops working in the 78^th Precinct have reported that seven wrought-iron fence gates have been stolen from brownstones along Lincoln Place and President Street in mid-October. The residents are stunned and their front yards look naked.

Initially residents thought the thieves might be confused about selling the gates as scrap since iron only sells for six to 10 cents for every pound. The thugs may be getting the last laugh since most of the gates are more than 100 years old making them valuable antiques.

Antique shops in the area sell similar gates for $800 to $1,000 a pop.

No junk yards or scrap metal buyers have been confirmed as buying anything out of the ordinary lately, police have confirmed.

Residents can only speculate at the motives for the metal snatching. Brooklyn hasn't been this confused about theft since the 2008 robbery of an entire fence from a synagogue in Bensonhurst.

Authorities advise residents to weld washers or brackets on top of their gates to deter the thieves.

Source - The Brooklyn Paper, "Metalheads! Thieves stealing antique gates off brownstone fences"