Metal thieves are targeting Modesto, Calif., fire hydrants, putting residents at risk and costing the city thousands of dollars.
The Modesto Bee says the thieves turn off the water, remove 10 to 12 large bolts and haul away the 100-pound hydrants. The cast iron hydrants would fetch about 12 cents a pound as scrap.
Authorities are mystified, saying any reputable recycler would immediately notify police if someone showed up with a fire hydrant.
Crews start replacing the missing hydrants on Thursday. The cost could run up to $4,000.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
The Big Data/AI ‘Revolution’ Is Driving Up Verdicts, Settlements as Plaintiffs Buy In 
Accenture Settles With Justice Department Over DEI Policies 
The Nation’s Insurance Laboratory: What Liability Trends in California Mean for the Rest of the Country 
OpenAI Says It’s Working With Anthropic, Google on AI Safety 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.