$300K Backhoe Torched by Vandals at Providence Pedestrian Bridge
Monday, December 13, 2021
Providence Police are investigating a report that a backhoe was set on fire at the construction site adjacent to the Michael Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge.
About Incident
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTShortly before 8 AM on Monday morning, police were sent to the Pedestrian Bridge for a report of property damage.
Construction workers told police they arrived at work Monday morning to find a backhoe with significant damage to it from being lit on fire.
Police said they were informed by workers that the piece of John Deere equipment costs in the range of $300,000.
According to police, there had been no calls regarding incidents at the location of the past several days.
Police are currently investigating.
Latest Bridge Vandalism
In July, Providence police responded to another report of damage at the bridge.
The vandalism is among the latest since GoLocal reported in 2020 that "Black Lives Matter" was spray-painted on the $21 million Providence bridge, which was officially named after top black Rhode Island civil rights leader Mike Van Leesten.
Friends of Van Leesten cleaned off the paint from the bridge.
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