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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The potholes here are getting out of control — and it's a man-made problem. Thieves have made off with dozens of the hefty covers and sewer grates in the last few days, leaving gapping holes scattered in streets across the city. City officials believe the high price of scrap metal is spurring the thefts and have been warning area scrap yards not to buy any manhole covers. Crews worked Monday to put up warning barriers for the holes once protected by the covers, which can weigh about 300 pounds.
"This is a severe public safety hazard we have here," said Margie Smith-Simmons, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Public Works. "These manholes range in depth from 4 feet to 30 feet deep." She said the profit motive for such thefts has escalated over the past two years as the price for a ton of scrap steel has gone from about $70 to $300. "Very tough, very time consuming, very expensive," Ronnie Sanders, a city public works project manager, said of replacing the covers. "It's taxpayer dollars going out the window." | 
