ByEric Resendiz Tuesday, June 4, 2024 Thieves are stealing fire hydrants in Los Angeles County, a crime that some say could put those communities at risk in an emergency. According to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, about 100 hydrants have been stolen this year. Krystal Cousins lives between two fire hydrants in the Florence-Firestone area. [...]
IAN JAMES, ANDREW J. CAMPA June 5, 2024 at 3:00 AM A fire hydrant, with a locking device that prevents access to the bolts, at 82 Street and Hooper Avenue in Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) In parts of Los Angeles County, fire hydrants have become a hot item. Thieves have stolen at least 302 [...]
By: Sam Peña Posted 3:10 PM, Jun 16, 2024 and last updated 9:48 AM, Jun 17, 2024 DENVER — A recent string of backflow valve thefts has Denver businesses concerned. Backflow valves are found commercial properties and prevent contaminants from flowing into water. The devices, made of copper and brass, are critical to cooking, cleaning, and irrigation. Thieves [...]
Less than two months into 2014, the Coachella Valley Water District is on its way to losing more equipment to metal thieves this year than it did in 2013. On Thursday, the water agency reported that 177 pieces of equipment have been stolen since Jan. 1, along with three unsuccessful attempted thefts. At this rate, [...]
PALM DESERT – Several strip malls in Palm Desert and Indian Wells have been hit by metal plumbing thefts recently, especially. News Video KMIR6 first reported Sunday about 10 businesses hit at Desert Crossing in Palm Desert. Most of the business owners had no water until Monday like La Bella Cucina. “It was a nightmare. [...]
OVIEDO, Fla. — Oviedo police arrested two men accused of stealing dozens of back-flow valves, which protect drinking water from contamination. According to investigators, nearly 80 of the back-flow valves have disappeared in Orange and Seminole counties since April. One victim gave Oviedo police surveillance video, which shows a man loading one of the devices [...]
MAGNOLIA, Ark. (Entergy) — Steal copper, and you might die doing it. If you don’t die, you might go to jail for it. That’s the word that Columbia County Sheriff Mike Loe has for the criminals who think cutting copper off of electrical systems or other sources and selling it as scrap is a viable [...]
Recently there has been a rash of commercial irrigation and domestic water backflow preventers stolen for their scrap metal. While the scrap metal value for the brass and copper contained within these fittings is only about $250, brazen thieves are making short work of stealing as many as they can, sometimes twice from the same [...]
High prices on copper and brass are sparking a local crime spree as would-be metal merchants rip off water meters and backflow devices. Over the weekend Valley Center Municipal Water District customers at several locations were the victims of meter and backflow device theft. On Saturday VC Community Hall was hit. A 3/4 inch meter [...]
During the Month of November approximately 30 Back Flow water valves were stolen from businesses along the Jefferson Ave. and Adams Ave business district. The Suspect would break the back flow valve from the business causing a geyser of water to flow from the business until being detected by a passerby. Many of the businesses [...]