Stormwater grates doing vanishing act

Senior roading manager Phil Donnelly wants the pilfering to stop.The covers cost $130 to replace. Picture / Greg Bowker

A council has asked the public for help in catching thieves who are stealing the city's stormwater grates.

More than 100 of the 20kg, cast-iron covers have disappeared in the past month, at a cost to the Manukau City Council of about $130 each.

The thefts are limited to grates. Solid metal manhole covers are not so far a target.

The drain-cover thefts know no geographic or economic boundaries - the grates are reported missing from Manurewa in the south to Howick in the east.

Manukau City transportation manager Chris Freke reckons the covers are being stolen for their scrap value and scrapmetal dealers have been told to be on the lookout.

Unfortunately for the thieves, the grates are likely to be useful only in providing an aerobic workout when being lifted, since scrap metal is worth a mere $250 to $300 a tonne, according to one industry insider.

That would mean a maximum $6 for each cover.

Rex McCamish of McCamish Metals in Penrose said yesterday scrap dealers were wary of sellers and insisted on photo identification.

Undercover police had in the past launched sting operations against scrap dealers, and "nobody in their right mind" would buy manhole covers or stormwater grates from anyone other than a contractor, he said.

The thefts appear to be happening mainly in areas where inorganic rubbish - such as fridges and old chairs - is sitting at the roadside for pick-up.

The thieves could be masquerading as rubbish collectors, Mr Freke said.

"We're asking the public to look out for people stealing the grates and contact the council with the car registration number and a description of the person and vehicle."

* Anyone with information about the thefts should contact the Manukau City Council call centre, phone 262-5104.