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Man arrested over brass theft from historic Philly building

Posted October 27, 2016 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Pedestrians look at the north side of the grand staircase entrance to The Union League in Philadelphia, which was damaged in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 24, 2016 as someone apparently tried to rip the brass railing off its supports to resell for money. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Police say a man is in custody for damaging an exterior staircase at a historically significant building in downtown Philadelphia.

Tuesday's theft of a 6-foot section of brass railing from the Union League of Philadelphia sent brick and stone from the grand, curved staircase tumbling to the sidewalk.

Police on Thursday say they've arrested 50-year-old Reginald Phillips and charged him with criminal mischief, theft and related offenses.

They say Phillips took the brass at a local scrap yard, but a piece of the railing has been recovered. Damage is estimated at $100,000.

No attorney information for Phillips is available in online court documents.

The group's 151-year-old French Renaissance-style building sits a couple blocks from City Hall. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Damage to the north side of the grand staircase entrance to The Union League in Philadelphia, which was damaged in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 24, 2016 as someone apparently tried to rip the brass railing off its supports to resell for money. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) The Associated Press

The north side of the grand staircase entrance to The Union League was damaged in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 24, 2016 as someone apparently tried to rip the brass railing off its supports to resell for money. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) The Associated Press

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