Over the holiday season the City of Boulder fell victim to a prolific robber who is handy with tools.
A maintenance worker with the city filed a report with police about the theft of copper and brass “irrigation back-flow preventers” from throughout the city, according to a police department blotter posting.
Investigators believe the pipe fittings, valued at about $40,000, were swiped on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30.
The thief likely used a pipe cutter to make off with the pipe fittings.
The cost to replace each stolen unit will range from $1,000 to $1,500, according to the city’s public works department.
The brazen thefts are also happening in rural Boulder County.
Brian McGuire, who lives in the Ertl Farm subdivision off 95th Street, said his small community’s back-flow preventer was cut and stolen in early November.
The common area irrigation system had not yet been shut off, and water spewed from the sawed-off pipe overnight, McGuire said.
“They came in the middle of the night,” McGuire said. “There was a big gush of water.”
Now, the subdivision will have to install a concrete pad with a cage and a lock, at a cost of about $600, to protect a replacement.
McGuire said the thief, or thieves, likely get about $15 for the part they stole.
“It’s unfortunate, they’ll do it again,” McGuire said. “We’re sitting ducks for things like this.”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
