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American man arrested for allegedly stealing 18-metre pedestrian bridge

The bridge went missing last month. (Supplied: Akron Police Department)

An 18-metre pedestrian bridge stolen from a US city last month has been found and a man is facing charges, police have said.

Police in the Ohio city of Akron said investigators acting on tips and other information found the missing span partially disassembled on a property in Sharon Township in neighbouring Medina County.

"A team of police officers converged on a property in Medina County and conducted a search warrant," Akron Police Department said in a statement.

"During a search of the property, the bridge was found partially disassembled."

A man has been arrested and charged with felony theft, police said. 

The Akron bridge, described as a Lego-like structure, once crossed a river in Akron's Middlebury Run Park near the tire company Goodyear's global headquarters.

It was taken down in 2003-04 as part of a wetland restoration project and was stored on park property with plans for it to be reused for a women's shelter project. 

Police discovered on November 3 that someone had removed the treated deck boards of the 3-metre-wide, 2-metre-tall structure.

Arrangements are being made to ship the bridge back to Akron in the coming days, police say. (Supplied: Akron Police Department)

On November 11, they found that the metal frame had been taken.

A 63-year-old man was charged with felony theft, according to Akron Police and court records.

Authorities allege that he paid a trucking company for crane service and the firm picked up the bridge and took it to Medina County.

The suspect was scheduled for arraignment later this week in Akron Municipal Court.

The bridge is expected to be shipped back to Akron in coming days, police said.

AP/ABC

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