A California state water company has responded to an ever-growing rash of fire hydrant thefts in Los Angeles by installing locked shields to cover the bolts on hydrants to stop thieves.Golden State Water Company owns and operates the fire hydrants and says thefts happen daily. South Los Angeles is one of the communities where thefts are high, with two of the most recent believed to have happened last Thursday, without neighbors even realizing it.
'Since the beginning of 2023, we've had over 300 hydrants stolen, and it's been ramping up in 2024,' Nutting said. The company has been sending out replacements typically the same day they are reported stolen, each one costing about $3,500. It's not clear what their value is on the black market. The total cost of all the stolen hydrants has amounted to over a $1.2 million loss, the company said.