Photo: nydailynews.com
It's for the first time in 15 years when the authorities in the French capital Paris decide to clean one of the city's famous canals, Canal Saint-Martin. The low water levels reveal an authentic scooter and bicycle scrapyard at the bottom of the canal.
Inaugurated by Napoleon in 1825 as a waterway used to bring water and goods in Paris, Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.5-km (2.8-mile) long stretch of water. Even though it is no longer used for the purpose it was built for, Canal Saint-Martin remains one of the tourist attraction of Paris and numerous barges haul tourists up and down year round.
The fact that such canals must be cleaned regularly is well known, and the workers who carried out the job were expecting to find weird stuff at the bottom.
Fish was caught and relocated before the canal was drained almost completely. As the water levels dropped, the "treasures" at the bottom of the canal emerged in plain daylight.
Locals who live in the area say that most of the scooters the workers retrieved from the Canal Saint-Martin are stolen ones. These two-wheelers are usually stolen and used for various other crimes, the locals say. After serving as getaway vehicles for thieves, they are often sunk in the canal. Simply abandoning them is risky, as the vehicles may retain evidence forensic investigators could detect and use to track down and apprehend suspects.
Throwing the getaway vehicles in the water reduces significantly the odds of finding them, while at the same time destroying trace evidence. Cleaning Canal Saint-Martin is an operation that cost the Paris municipality some €9.5 million ($10.35 mil).
The fact that such canals must be cleaned regularly is well known, and the workers who carried out the job were expecting to find weird stuff at the bottom.
Fish was caught and relocated before the canal was drained almost completely. As the water levels dropped, the "treasures" at the bottom of the canal emerged in plain daylight.
Scooters are believed to have been abandoned by thieves
Countless scooters, bicycles and even cameras were laying at the bottom of Canal Saint-Martin, alongside other objects that were thrown in the water over the last 15 years.Locals who live in the area say that most of the scooters the workers retrieved from the Canal Saint-Martin are stolen ones. These two-wheelers are usually stolen and used for various other crimes, the locals say. After serving as getaway vehicles for thieves, they are often sunk in the canal. Simply abandoning them is risky, as the vehicles may retain evidence forensic investigators could detect and use to track down and apprehend suspects.
Throwing the getaway vehicles in the water reduces significantly the odds of finding them, while at the same time destroying trace evidence. Cleaning Canal Saint-Martin is an operation that cost the Paris municipality some €9.5 million ($10.35 mil).
Google News