During the last several weeks over two dozen storm drain covers have been removed and then dropped into the drain itself. On the safety side, this reckless vandalism can literally cost someone their life.  The removal of the grate leaves a gaping void in the ground large enough for a pedestrian to fall through.  It’s also big enough to stop a vehicle in its tracks which could easily injure the occupants inside and/or cause a traffic crash.  If a bicyclist should travel over the hole the bike will immediately stop its forward motion which will most certainly throw its rider.  The hole itself can be between three and fifteen feet deep.  

On the monetary side, this action creates such a dangerous situation, that Department of Transportation Staff (DOT) have to respond immediately.  This is often after-hours, so not only does the fix incur overtime, but many of the drain covers have to be replaced with brand new ones.  Thousands of dollars in damage and man-hours are quickly adding up. So far drain covers have been removed on Muldoon, Tudor, Boniface, Old Seward, and Rabbit Creek.

It’s absolutely vital that this malicious behavior stops before someone either dies or experiences serious physical injury.  Anyone with information regarding the person(s) responsible is asked to contact Police Dispatch at 3-1-1 (option #1).  Anyone who witnesses this crime while it’s occurring is asked to call 9-1-1.

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