Stealing Fire Hydrants for Pocket Change? Absurd Thefts Target Municipal Equipment

As the prices of metals like copper and brass rise, fire hydrants on the streets are now becoming targets for thieves.

What on earth were they thinking, considering what could happen if a fire broke out?

In a residential neighborhood in California, USA, a man is seen hiding behind a parked vehicle while using a tool to loosen the bottom part of a fire hydrant.

Just as he tries to detach and steal the hydrant, a police patrol car happens to drive by.

Spotting the man's suspicious behavior, the officers immediately arrested him at the scene.

The man is believed to have been targeting the brass components inside the fire hydrant.

Such fire hydrant thefts have been occurring consecutively in this area.

Fire hydrants are essential for supplying firefighting water at fire scenes!

These acts of theft, driven by the desire for just a few bucks, are threatening the safety of citizens.

(Photo: Facebook @Signal Hill Police Department)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.