LA thieves targeting fire hydrants as suspect caught on video trying to pry sidewalk spout loose

A slippery thief was caught on camera trying to steal a fire hydrant from a Los Angeles area sidewalk as police warn of similar thefts in the city.

Jorge Beltran Carrillo, 53, was arrested by police on October 23 after attempting to boost the yellow hydrant from a street in Signal Hill.

Surveillance video shared by the Signal Hill Police Department Thursday showed the suspect using a wrench to unbolt the hydrant from its base.

Carrillo was arrested and booked for theft-related charges, police said.

The department added that “several fire hydrant thefts” had been reported in recent months.

The update came only days after police in Bell warned of similar crimes in Southeast LA.

“Please contact your local Police Department if a fire hydrant is being removed by someone who is not driving a Golden State Water Company Vehicle,” the Bell Police Department said on Monday, sharing a photo of the company’s official truck.

Police believe hydrant thieves take the stolen spouts to recycling centers to cash in on the scrap metal, according to the Los Angeles Times, which reported on hundreds of hydrant thefts in 2024.

At least 302 hydrants have been stolen since the start of 2023, according to a LA Times article written in June 2024.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters