Could the Washington Monument be stolen?

You’d need an awfully big swag bag.

And have no one notice? Highly unlikely,but watching the way the majority of the brain dead public drives,maybe.

True story:

When my stepfather was about 25, he was living with a couple of roommates, and they needed some carpet for their apartment, which only had a concrete floor.

They went to Sears, moved several racks of clothing out of the way, pulled up the store’s carpet, rolled it up, and walked out the front door.

No one said a word. They just assumed these people were supposed to be there, taking away the carpet.

I grant to you that the Washington Monument is a bit different than the carpeting at Sears, but my point stands: never underestimate the disinterest and apathy of the general public.

By my calculations it would take around 8000 Chinook (CH-47) Helicopters to move the monument. Or 30,000 Large trucks. Or 10 NASA Crawler-transporters, one was for sale recently.

Or one really big Starfleet-issue Cargo Transporter Unit.

What would be the point?

You’re not going to get chinooks to fly across the Atlantic.

Quite true, the helicopters would need to travel to the nearest dock, one extremely large cargo ship such as the Emma Maersk would be able to carry the entire monument. At that point it would be simply a matter of keeping off the radars as I assume people would be asking questions.

I’m sure he could pull it off :P

@Seek_Kolinahr Thieves have posed as equipment repairmen, entered offices during the business day, and walked out with fortunes worth of business machines. Staff members will even hold or prop open doors to be helpful. Sometimes, it’s enough just to look the part and act confidently. People question suspicious behavior, not actions that seem legitimate.

@Sadie It would be possible to surround the monument is scaffolding and a crane, posing as a restoration team. Then it could be quietly dismantled and taken away by a steady flow of trucks. The trick would be doing it fast enough to not be noticed, but slow enough so the truck flow was not noticed.

It is being stolen, very slowly, a little at a time.

DARING THEFT IN U.S.
Lightning Rods Stolen From Washington Monument
WASHINGTON, December 27 1934 – From the tip of the Washington monument, 555 feet above the ground. 107 gold plated and platinum tipped lightning rods valued at 856 dollars lightning (approximately £171 at par), have been stolen. Somebody evidently reached them by climbing out on scaffolding which surrounded the monument while it was being cleaned and repaired. The points were made of expensive metals to prevent corrosion. Guards are on duty to protect the 63 remaining points.

Link

You could make an exact replica and then persuade the authorities you have the original and are prepared to swap.

I think there’s a stat(ut)e against it.

Just wait – Obama will give it to the Chinese when we default on some of the loans we have and can’t pay them what we owe them. They’ll figure out a way to transport it to China.

May be with the help of a master illusionist like David Copperfield!

No, it would not be logistically possible.

I woke up this morning, and it was gone. No trace remaining. Which one of you is responsible, and where did you put it?

Maybe if you used one of These.