Sky-high metals prices combined with the weak U.S. economy in recent years have led brazen thieves to strip copper wire out of vacant homes, swipe stainless-steel beer kegs from bars and even make off with manhole covers, street lights and parts of fire hydrants.

WSJ: Bronze Vases at Cemeteries Become Target for Thieves

Decades before garish LED screens presided over the Strip, handcrafted neon signs reigned as Vegas' original iconic art form.

BBC: Vintage Las Vegas

Bank-led auctions of commercial real estate are typically filled with struggling office buildings, strip malls and busted condo projects that defaulted on debts.

WSJ: Plots & Ploys: So Long, Solow