What's Behind The Rise Of Fire Hydrant Thefts In South LA County?

Catalytic converters, bronze statues, copper wire: Nothing is safe from theft in Los Angeles. And as of the last couple years, you can now add fire hydrants to the list.

Between January 2023 and May 2024, more than 300 fire hydrants were stolen from L.A. County streets, according to data from the Golden State Water Company, which manages the fire hydrants. That's led to a $1.2 million loss for the company.

Officials started seeing a rise in fire hydrant thefts in late 2022, a trend that has only accelerated in recent months, according to Golden State Water Co. general manager Kate Nutting.

"In the first half of 2024, we've seen a major ramp up [in fire hydrant thefts]," Nutting said.

Where thefts are concentrated

So far, the thefts have been focused in South and Southeast L.A., including Gardena, Huntington Park, Compton, and various neighborhoods in the city of L.A. Nutting said the thefts started in the vicinity of the 110 Freeway near Florence-Graham and Willowbrook in 2022, but they've since seen stolen fire hydrants as far as Inglewood, Bell and Cudahy.

Officials haven't determined why fire hydrants are being stolen so often, but they suspect it's because the hydrants contain potentially valuable brass components.

"In some cases at least, they're being taken to a recycling center and sold for scrap metal," Nutting said.

It costs up to $4,000 to replace a hydrant.

"The biggest thing is the public safety issue for us," Nutting said. "It's really alarming to us that this is happening and actually happening so frequently now."

New measures to stop hydrant thefts

While officials work to stop the thefts, the replacement fire hydrants are being installed with a mechanism to stop repeat thefts.

"It's basically a collar that locks around the bolts that attaches the hydrant to the water main, and it makes it impossible for anyone to access those bolts to actually undo them and remove the hydrant," Nutting said.

To address the issue of fire hydrant theft, officials have formed a task force — much like another recently formed committee on stolen copper wire — that meets biweekly and includes L.A. Sheriff's Department officials from nearby stations.

And while water company staff and first responders might notice some missing hydrants, Nutting said they're also relying on the public to bring thefts to their attention.

"The customers are the ones that are most likely to see it first, so we encourage them to contact us," she said.

How you can help

If you spot a missing or damaged fire hydrant, call the Golden State Water Company customer service hotline at (800) 999-4033.