The Great Recession has scrap- metal thieves trafficking in a new commodity: storm grates.
Denver and Aurora have seen 37 of the grates disappear in just the past two weeks.
“People are obviously experiencing tough times, but it’s a big risk for a small reward, and they’re stealing from the city,” said Christine Downs, a spokeswoman for Denver Public Works.
At the current price of an estimated 8 cents a pound for the cast iron, a 155-pound grate brings in little money for a lot of work.
City officials estimate thieves may get $8 to $12 per grate. It costs the city about $200 to replace each one.
Denver has already spent about $3,000 on 15 replacement grates.
Of the 22 stolen in Aurora, all but one have been replaced, but the city is now out of stock and has to wait for an order to come in.
“Our biggest concern is that this is a safety issue,” said Dan Mikesell, operations manager for Aurora Water. “People walking down the street at night might not see it, so we’re securing them and trying to get them replaced as soon as possible.”
No injuries or accidents have been reported so far.
Grate theft in Denver has been concentrated in the area bounded by East Ninth Avenue to the south, East 14th Avenue to the north, Monaco Parkway to the east and Holly Street to the west.
In Aurora, the pattern has shifted.
“The first week, they were concentrated in one area. Now we’re seeing three to five gone at a time in different areas of town,” Mikesell said.
This is not a first for Denver, Downs said. In the spring of 2009, 37 grates were stolen.
For Aurora, this is a first.
“This is a new experience for us,” Mikesell said. “Maybe we had one missing here and there before, but never in bulk.”
Sonny Jackson, spokesman for Denver police, said metals have always been a commodity for thieves.
“It’s always a problem,” Jackson said. “With storm grates, the sad thing is what they get for it is a minimum, but the domino effect is huge.”
The grates limit the opening of gutters’ stormwater drains, preventing large objects — including small children — from being swept in during a flash flood. By straining out limbs and rocks, they also keep the drainage system from being clogged.
Jackson said police will begin visiting scrap yards to get the names of people who recently traded in grates.
“We want accountability so people know you can’t just walk in and get rid of it,” Jackson said. “We will ask questions. In time, as a team effort, we can make a huge difference.”
Anyone who sees someone other than a uniformed city employee taking a storm grate is asked to call 911 or 720-913-2000. To report a missing storm grate, call 311.
To report a stolen grate in Aurora, call 303-326-8645.
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372 or yrobles@denverpost.com
