As many as 40 antique wooden benches that were supposed to be incorporated into a renovation project at Springfield's Union Station transportation hub have been stolen.
The $88 million restoration of Union Station is being overseen not only by construction and transportation experts, but also historical consultants.
Joe Carvalho, retired president of the Springfield Museums, said the plan is to use restored artifacts from the station’s heyday to highlight the history of transportation in Springfield.
" We can tell stories through those objects. That is what museums do. That is what historians do," said Carvalho.
Springfield Redevelopment Authority officials tell MassLIVE they noticed the benches were missing in 2012, just as the construction work was getting underway.
The restored station is scheduled to open this December.
