# Busted for taking pieces of the shuttle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-for-taking-pieces-of-the-shuttle/153089 "2003-02-06T01:13:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-for-taking-pieces-of-the-shuttle/153089/1 "2003-02-06T01:13:22Z")
I was heading home this evening and was listening to NPR and they said that two men were arrested in Dallas for illegally gathering pieces of the space shuttle. Under what law? I can’t imagine there was an old law on the books that made it illegal to collect exploded space shuttle parts and I am almost as certain that none has been passed in the last few days despite our focus on the tragedy. So what were they charged with? TV ---
**Author:** ![Cessandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cessandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cessandra)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-for-taking-pieces-of-the-shuttle/153089/2 "2003-02-06T01:15:04Z")
Probably theft. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-for-taking-pieces-of-the-shuttle/153089/3 "2003-02-06T01:20:25Z")
According to this story, [http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/05/sprj.colu.shuttle.wrap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/05/sprj.colu.shuttle.wrap/index.html) it was theft of government property. ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-for-taking-pieces-of-the-shuttle/153089/4 "2003-02-06T01:24:51Z")
Erm, it is government property. If a F-16 crashes in your back yard and you collect the tagetting system, you bet your freaking ass you’re gonna have a few well armed gentlemen appear at your door, back door, kitchen window, and out of your toilet. Additionally, this is evidence at a crash/investigation scene. Much like interfering with debris or wreckage at other crash scenes, you can be charged. More than anything else, I’d think, you’ll look like a _real_ asshat when “Stealing debris from the shuttle breakup” appears on your record. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-for-taking-pieces-of-the-shuttle/153089/5 "2003-02-06T01:30:31Z")
It’s Federal property. But even if it wasn’t, I’m pretty sure there are adequate laws on the books, since they’ve also arrested people in the past for taking stuff from plane wrecks. [From thisABC site:](http://www.wset.com/showstory.hrb?f=n&s=72454&f1=nat) > [@](#): > > U.S. attorneys in Texas warn that it’s a federal offense to take part of an aircraft involved in an accident. And if convicted of the crime, a person could get up to ten years in prison – and a $250,000 fine. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-for-taking-pieces-of-the-shuttle/153089/6 "2003-02-06T01:55:55Z")
There is a general amnesty for people who’ve stolen shuttle parts if they come clean by 5:00 PM on Friday and are willing to show investigators where they got it. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-for-taking-pieces-of-the-shuttle/153089/7 "2003-02-06T02:12:20Z")
Isn’t it also a federal law not to steal from the “scene of an accident”?