Santa Clara Offers $5,000 Reward In Connection With Water Meter Thefts
SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) -- Santa Clara police are asking residents to be on the lookout for thieves stealing water meters and back-flow regulators in the city.
The city has seen more than a dozen such thefts recently and police believe the thieves are selling the items for scrap metal.
The city is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the thefts, according to police.
At the River of Life Christian Church, thieves stole three meters on two separate occasions. The church had no water for 3,000 worshipers that Sunday.
"It really caught us unexpected. So we didn't know that the copper inside was worth that much," said Tony Chen of River of Life Church.
The suspects steal water meters by removing the cover, shutting off the water valve and using a pipe cutter to cut off the meters, police said.
"They're turning off the water before they cut the meters off and that requires a special tool, so they either have done this before in other places, or they have some knowledge," said Chris de Groot, the city's Director of Water & Sewer Utilities told KPIX 5.
Police, who did not provide locations and dates for the thefts, estimate the suspects have cost the city over $40,000 in loss.
Anyone who observes people tampering with a water meter or back-flow valve is advised to call 911 immediately.
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