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A crime wave of fire hydrant thefts in Los Angeles has been hindering fire fighters’ efforts to save lives and property, even before this week’s deadly fires broke out in the area.

Hundreds of L.A. fire hydrants have been stolen from the ground over the past two years, with the surge in thefts appearing to peak last June.

“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,” LAist reported at the time:

“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.”

“The first half of 2024, it’s just really ramped up,” the district’s the Golden State Water Company general manager, Kate Nutting, told The L.A. Times.

“It is a big public safety issue,” Nutting warned.

To remove the hydrants from the ground, thieves have either unscrewed the bolts holding the hydrants in place – or simply rammed the hydrants with their vehicles.

The prevalent police theory is that the thieves are stealing the hydrants so that they can sell the brass in them for scrap metal. But, while the approximately 100 pounds of brass in a hydrant fetches only pennies per pound, it can cost $4,000-$5,000 to replace a single hydrant.

“These fire hydrant thefts are yet another sign of how crime is out of control in Los Angeles County,” Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman told The Center Square before his election last November. “Thieves know they’ll face little or no consequences if they are caught, so they’re willing to risk the public’s safety for a small profit.”

However, while theft of under $950 in California is a misdemeanor, scrap yards receiving stolen hydrants are committing a federal offense.

To combat the crime wave, the water company has begun welding the hydrants and installing locks on them.

Local media have been warning of the public safety risks caused by the hydrant thefts since at least the middle of last year. Watch a KTLA 5 news report on the danger below.