The iconic metal cross that crowned the Pico Aneto has been torn from its base. Someone, using a power tool, made a precise cut and threw it down the slope. The Civil Guard is investigating the incident as an act of vandalism, while the mountaineering community wonders who and why committed this action against a historical symbol weighing almost 100 kg.
Power tools and logistics: the technical challenge of a theft at 3,400 meters 🔧
To cut a four-meter structure weighing almost 100 kilos on the summit of Aneto requires more than brute force. An angle grinder with a high-capacity lithium battery would be the most logical candidate, although extreme cold and altitude reduce its performance. The perpetrator had to plan the weight of the equipment, the logistics of the ascent, and the subsequent concealment of the cross, an object difficult to hide in a technical backpack.
Aneto without a cross: now all that's missing is a selfie stick 😅
Someone has taken the iron cross. Perhaps they were looking for an original garden ornament or need scrap metal for a modern art piece. The surprising thing is that, given its weight, they didn't use it as ballast for a hot air balloon. Now the summit looks clearer, ideal for those who believe the natural landscape is better off without metal adornments. Of course, let's hope they don't get the idea to install a photocall.