"British Rail would like to apologise for the delay, the 9.32 to Wakefield will be delayed indefinitely because someone has stolen the station.”
It sounds too bizarre, even by railway announcement standards, doesn't it? But in 1972 that was the charge against a demolition contractor. The defendant was accused of acting “with dishonest intent” when he razed the disused station to the ground and clearing tons of track from the site. He admitted the demolition, but said he had acted in good faith, on behalf of someone else. Despite the fact that the third party was never traced, the prosecution case eventually went the same way as the old station and the contractor was found not guilty.