Police investigate disappearance of bridge in Prados A metal bridge built in England in the 19th century, incorporated into the heritage of Prados, in the Central Region of Minas Gerais, disappeared from a rural area of the municipality and was found around 180 kilometers away, in an environmental preservation space in the region of Ibitipoca, in Zona da Mata. The case began to be investigated by the Civil Police, the Federal Police and the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais. According to the Civil Police, the project where the structure was located presented an invoice proving the purchase of the bridge for R$700,000. Ibiti Projeto claims that it acquired the property legally from an antiques dealer. ✅ Click here to follow the g1 MG channel on WhatsApp Although the bridge has already been located, there are still doubts about who removed the structure from the site, how it was transported to Lima Duarte and who participated in the negotiation. See, from the points below, what is known about the case: What happened? Why is the bridge considered historic? Where was the structure found? Who bought the bridge? What does Ibiti Projeto say? How was the bridge removed and transported? Who investigates the case and what crimes are investigated? What still remains to be clarified? What happened? The metal bridge, approximately 20 meters long and 5 meters wide, disappeared from the rural area of ​​Prados between the 5th and 8th of June. The day after the case was registered, the structure was located in Lima Duarte, in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais, where it had been transported to an Ibiti Projeto unit. Montage shows steel bridge over river, site without structure after theft, and bridge being loaded onto truck Disclosure/City Hall of Prados Why is the bridge considered historic? The structure was built in England and sent to Brazil in the 1880s. It was part of the old railway network of the extinct Federal Railway Network. According to Prados City Hall, the bridge was incorporated into the municipality's heritage and has historical value for the city, despite no longer being used for railway activities. Where was the structure found? The bridge was located in a unit of Ibiti Projeto, a tourist and environmental preservation enterprise located in Lima Duarte, in the Ibitipoca region. The distance between the structure's place of origin and the point where it was found is approximately 180 kilometers. Who bought the bridge? According to the Civil Police, Ibiti Projeto presented documentation indicating the purchase of the structure for R$700,000. According to the delegate responsible for the investigation, the company also delivered an invoice relating to the negotiation. What does Ibiti Projeto say? In a statement, the company states that it acquired the bridge on a regular basis from an antiques dealer, issuing an invoice and other documents. The group also says that it was surprised by questions about the origin of the structure and that it immediately contacted the authorities to inform them of the location of the property and present the available documentation. How was the bridge removed and transported? This is one of the main doubts of the investigation. According to the incident report, there is evidence that those responsible used heavy machinery and tools to remove the structure. Marks from a backhoe and large vehicles were found at the scene. The Military Police also recorded that the access road to the bridge had been blocked with earth to make it difficult for vehicles to reach the site. Investigators are still trying to understand how the structure was transported around 180 kilometers to Lima Duarte. Ponte was found in the Zona da Mata region, in Minas Gerais Disclosure/ Civil Police Who investigates the case and what crimes are investigated? The Civil Police launched an investigation to investigate the theft and identify those responsible. The Federal Police also reported that it will open its own investigation, while the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais opened a civil investigation to investigate possible damage to cultural heritage. Authorities analyze possible crimes such as theft, reception and infractions related to cultural heritage. The accountability of those involved will depend on the progress of the investigations. What still remains to be clarified? Investigators are trying to find out who removed the Prados bridge, who mediated the negotiation and whether there were others involved in the operation. They also need to clarify whether the structure was sold by someone who had authorization to negotiate it, how transportation to Lima Duarte occurred and whether the buyers were aware of the origin of the asset. READ ALSO: Union announces end of strike by teachers in the municipal network of BH after 45 days of strike VIDEO: motorcyclist dies after car makes prohibited turn on Avenida de Contagem, in Greater BH See the most watched videos from g1 Minas: