Backflow Preventer Theft Hits Oakland Park, Fl.

Late at night on Friday May 6th, thieves ran rampant in Oakland Park, Florida with the intent of stealing the brass pipes from backflow preventers in the area. With brass selling at roughly $2 per pound, a person can easily make about $30 selling the heavy brass pipes from these systems. 

It appears the pipes were smashed out of place with a hammer or similar device leaving water gushing uncontrollably from the broken system. This was the situation at local businesses and residential areas alike, leaving residents with a high water bill and no protection from contamination in their water supply. 

Unfortunately until the city finds a safer way to contain the backflow preventer systems, city officials believe this won't be the end of the theft. 

Greenteam Plumbing recently completed a blackflow preventer project for a Kidney Dialysis Center in Davie, Florida that underwent the same type of theft. Check out our previous blog post for more information on what we did to install a new system and protect it from theft! 

For more information on the recent string of theft in Oakland Park visit the Sun Sentinel online. 

Source: Sun Sentinel