It might have surprised many that a criminal allegedly made off with an entire stretch of road, as thieves typically take items that are easy to transport.
Equally perplexing was the apparent lack of awareness, as it seems no one noticed that a section of the Russian highway was missing until the thief had removed 82 slabs of concrete after dismantling a considerable portion.
The possible explanations for this incident suggest that either the thief acted extraordinarily fast during his escape in the republic of Komi, or the area was deserted at the time.
Three large trucks were reportedly utilized to transport the street pieces, which were chiselled off using a machine believed to be an industrial manipulator (a device that combines a forklift with a bulldozer).
Subsequently, the vehicles were intercepted by the police.
According to the Russian government, the concrete was valued at £4,000, and a 40-year-old man from Syktyvkar has confessed to the crime.
If prosecuted, he faces a maximum prison sentence of two years.