Man arrested over brass theft from historic Philly building

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 today 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 to a local scrap yard, but a piece of the railing has been recovered. Damage is estimated at USD 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.