Tom Berge Uses Google Earth To Steal $140,000 Worth Of Lead

Tom Berge received an 8 month suspended jail term for stealing lead from the roofs of buildings.  He actually used Google Earth to identify which buildings in the area use lead.  He retrieved lead from museums, churches, schools, etc.  He stole lead from the Honeywood Museum in Carshalton, Sutton High School for Girls, and Croydon Parish Church in London.

“He could tell the lead roofs apart on Google Earth as they were slightly darker than normal,” stated a friend of Berge.  Berge was arrested in February and received his sentence last week.

While Google Earth has its fair share of crime uses, it also has a number of uses that are made to solve crimes.  In late January, police in Switzerland were able to discover a marijuana plantation using the software.

[via Telegraph]

Related posts:

1. Google Earth Now Has Ocean, Mars, Touring, and Historial Imagery
2. Google Earth, Now a Valedictorian in Meteorology
3. U.S. Military Activity In Pakistan Spotted Via Google Earth
4. Google Earth: Hey Pal, Take a Hike
5. AIA and Google Earth Team Up To Enhance 3-D Model Layers