EDITORIAL - Thefts that affect communities

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) is calling attention to the increasing incidents of theft involving water meters.

In a report in this newspaper, MCWD said 174 incidents of water meter theft were recorded, more than triple for the same month last year.

Theft isn’t limited to water meters.Just last week, the battery of MCWD’s Mobile Siphon Tank (MST), a tank designed to extract water from surface sources such as rivers, lakes, and ponds, and convert it into potable drinking water, was stolen in Barangay Buot, Cebu City.

Theft of property belonging to utility companies isn’t new. Not too long ago the theft of overhead copper wires was rampant. Entire neighborhoods would complain of interruptions in cable or internet service, only to be told that entire lengths of copper wire had been cut and carried away by unknown individuals.

Maybe this is one factor that led some utility companies to switch to fiber instead, aside from fiber cables being able to carry more data.

Some crimes affect more people than others. When the MST battery in Barangay Buot was stolen, water service was interrupted not just in Buot, but also in Barangay Bonbon, and other neighboring barangays for several days.

When water meters are improperly removed from water lines, not only is water wasted but the MCWD said there is a risk of contamination because anything can get into the pipes.

When overhead wires are cut, entire communities can lose a vital service. While it’s just a recent development, it’s good that many of us now have internet through our cellphones.

Some criminals must be truly desperate to resort to crimes that victimize entire communities. We wonder what goes on in their heads.

Needless to say, finding and arresting criminals who don’t think twice about causing problems for many people is a shared responsibility between the police and the community.

Thieves won’t steal if they have no one to sell it to. The sale of items that aren’t normally traded for should arouse suspicion and be reportedly immediately to authorities.