A series of fire hydrant thefts in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South Los Angeles has left residents without a working hydrant near their homes.
The thefts of four hydrants near the intersection of 82nd Street and Hooper Avenue mean the block doesn’t have even one operating hydrant, KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw reports.
“It’s beyond annoying,” area resident Krystail Cousins said. “Why would you steal a fire hydrant? What are you going to do with a fire hydrant? … Now you have a whole neighborhood of houses that are in danger because we have no access for our fire department.”
Similar thefts have occurred in Lynwood, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Work is underway to replace the hydrants and install locks to prevent future thefts.