Holes adding up in Sacramento, as manhole covers disappear

(CBS/SACRAMENTO) - If someone tries to give you a manhole cover for a Christmas present, chances are it belongs to the city of Sacramento.

More than two dozen of the manhole lids were stolen from the streets of the California capital over the weekend, costing the city thousands of dollars, CBS Sacramento reports.

The lids, about 65 lbs. of cast iron each, were stolen in neighborhoods and alleys, many of them overnight, making the black holes impossible to see.

City crews say, luckily, no one's fallen into a manhole or driven into one. The fall is typically four to 20 feet, CBS Sacramento said.

According to the station, the cost to replace each cover is $165 taxpayer dollars. Just since May, the price tag on stolen manhole covers, grates and even sewer covers is $45,000.

"It's not fair to the city," said Daniel Debartolo, who used to manufacture the lids. "It's not fair to the taxpayers."

The crooks typically make a quick buck for scrap metal, at the most $10 per lid.

And if the criminals do get caught, it's only a misdemeanor petty theft unless someone sees the person in the act - then it becomes a felony, the station reported.