Thieves steal pipes from Chehalis flood warning system
Oct 18, 2012, 6:14 AM | Updated: 8:02 am
Deputies are searching for thieves who stole some pipes near the Chehalis River.
Grays Harbor County Sheriff Rick Scott says the pipes aren’t worth much, but the purpose they served was.
“Scrap value was worth just a few dollars, but it put out of commission thousands of dollars worth of very high-tech equipment.”
The missing pipes have shut down the area’s early flood warning systems. The piping had wires that carried water measurements to a transmitting station.
“That equipment is what tells us the river is rising and we need to advise people downstream they need to either seek higher ground or even consider evacuation,” says Scott.
Scott says if the thieves keep stealing these pipes, it could cause serious problems when the real flooding season starts.
KIRO Radio Editor Karen Taylor contributed to this report.
