The Philippine National Police in Dumaguete City has alerted all junk shops in the city and in neighboring towns against water meters peddled to them after the series of thefts of the equipment, recently.

City PNP intelligence officer, Inspector Teddy Faburada, issued the alert after 17 more water concessionaires complained that their water meters were stolen.

The figure was on top of 50 other water meters stolen a week before in Brgys. Motong, Candau-ay, Batinguel, Lower Junob, Bagacay, Mangnao, and Banilad that prompted the Dumaguete City Water District to declare that the thefts have affected its water distribution system.

The victims last week said that their water taps were still running on the night of February 20.

But the next morning, they were surprised when their taps were empty and on inspecting their meters, they found them gone and the water was flowing out of their lines.

Faburada said he has mobilized police operatives to look for and arrest the culprits.

He advised concessionaires to have their water meter connected near their houses since most of the stolen units were installed 100 meters away.

The copper or bronze found inside water meters could be sold at high prices per weight to buyers of junk metals.

Meanwhile, DCWD general manager Esperato Dicen advised water concessionaires to be on alert for any water meter theft and to conduct citizen's arrest if they catch anyone tampering with the meters.*RG

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