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Basin top theft a growing issue in Church Hill, Southside
A message today from the Department of Public Utilities:
The city of Richmond is losing up to $1,000 a day from the theft of metal basin tops. The thefts are becoming a safety hazard as well.
On Friday, Oct. 1, 16 tops were stolen from Castlewood Road on the Southside. Police were able to recover some of the tops from Smith Iron and Metal Company on Bells Road. A suspect was arrested as a result.
Missing basin tops are continually being reported. This is developing into an expensive problem for the city, with the hardest hit areas on the Southside and Church Hill. On Wednesday, Oct. 6, the Department of Public Utilities received notice of five more missing tops.
If you see a missing basin top, call the Department of Public Utilities at 644-3000, Howard Glenn at 646-1920 or Darryl Rivers at 646-5541 and leave a message with the location of the open basin. If you observe any suspicious activity around a stormwater basin, call the police at 646-5100, or 9-1-1 if the theft is in progress.
TAGGED: crime
Basins? I always thought those were man holes…
The city could just send out the asphalt truck, and put some asphalt around the ‘basin top’ too, the way they did on the 3300 Block of East Broad – glue them down with asphalt, basically. I seem to recall that someone said on the thread about those sidewalks that their access to water and/or gas was covered up with asphalt.
Luke, I would have thought they were manhole covers, too.
I’m pretty sure the manhole covers are the ones in the street. These are the drainage do-jobbies on the curb. I have two – I wonder if they’ll disappear?
Who would have thunk it? Stealing Manhole covers. Turns out it’s a big deal worldwide. Can’t find it yet, but Mark Holmberg just did an excellent piece on this subject.
crd: Graeat idea! Seems DPU is going a little asphalt crazy these days so what the hell, they might as well do something costructive so these things don’t get stolen any longer.
I’ve heard it all now…stealing manhole covers…what idiots!
Better check Governor’s Antiques – that is where most of our stuff goes in RIchmond.
Can you really get that much at salvage or scrap yards for what has to be mid-grade cast iron?
The basin lids need to be easily lifted because mosquito crews come by and spray inside the basins, and the stormwater division has to clean out the garbage periodically. Storm basins seem to collect plastic soda bottles and fast food packaging.
This is why it makes sense to mount more street cameras. Like it or not, this is the world we are living in- we have to do more with dwindling resources.
#7 – Everything has value in CH.
No wonder they get full of bottles & food bags- I had a neighbor that “cleaned” by purposely sweeping trash into those storm drains.