Los Angeles – Just when you thought the state of California couldn’t possibly get worse, it has.
According to CBS News, a California state water company has responded to a growing frenzy of fire hydrant thefts in Los Angeles by installing locked shields to cover the bolts on hydrants to stop thieves.
Golden State Water Company, which owns and operates the fire hydrants, says thefts now happen daily.
“It’s mind-boggling that someone would just come into a neighborhood and just steal a fire hydrant,” neighbor Krystail Cousins said. “You’re now putting a whole neighborhood in danger.”
The water company’s Southwest District general manager, Kate Nutting, said as the hydrants are made of iron and brass, she believes they are being sold on the black market for scrap metal.
Zero Hedge reported over 300 hydrants stolen since the beginning of 2023 and the theft of the life saving equipment is not slowing down.
The measures the company has taken include welding hydrants to block access to the bolts but thieves have continued, with methods including ramming hydrants with vehicles or using specialized tools to remove metal parts.
Many of the thefts have occurred in the communities of Florence-Graham, Willowbrook and West Rancho Dominguez, as well as eastern Gardena near the 110 Freeway.
The company has been sending out replacements typically the same day they are reported stolen, each one costing about $3,500. It’s not clear what their value is on the black market. The total cost of all the stolen hydrants has amounted to over a $1.2 million loss, the company said.
