Copper Crooks Leave Colorado Parkways to Parch

Call them the copper capers.

Since last fall, as commodity prices for metals have skyrocketed, local thieves learned that pilfering metal irrigation equipment from the city's grand parkways is a quicker way to riches than collecting aluminum cans.

As a result, large swaths of Denver's lawn-watering efforts on the city's parkways has ground to a halt. Some spots, including along Monaco Parkway, "haven't had water since last year," said parks Superintendent Juan Marsh.

And parched parkways are only a slice of the problem.

Equipment has been stolen from throughout the city's 4,000 acres of parks and open space, said parks spokeswoman Tiffiany Moehring.

The city has been conducting a two-month study to determine the damages, but the audit is not yet complete, she added.

The copper contraption that is drawing thieves is called a backflow preventer. It weighs between 20 to 30 pounds.

Thieves can get from $20 to $60 at scrap metal prices for the devices, said Denver police analyst Tony Brukhardt.

Denver is not alone in suffering such losses.

Colorado Springs also has lost backflow preventers to thieves.

"As far as I know, we haven't caught anyone," said Kurt Schroeder, Springs parks manager.

In Westminster, thieves have gone even further. After the city encased the devices in metal boxes, culprits simply stole the boxes, said Westminster police officer Tim Read.

The same was true last year in Lakewood. Thieves swiped the metal enclosures - even those in the medians of Wadsworth Boulevard and other major thoroughfares.

"They were pretty bold," said Steve Carpenter, urban parks manager in Lakewood.

Denver's Moehring said city workers noticed an acceleration of the problem last fall and winter, and police were asked to keep an eye open.

So far, there have been two arrests.

Parks personnel said they believe thefts could be more difficult in summer months when there is water pressure in the lines, Moehring said.

Colorado Springs officials have found that, indeed, thefts have slowed during the spring watering season.

But three weeks ago, an enterprising thief ripped off a fully pressurized unit, probably getting soaked in the process, Schroeder said.

In Denver, an estimated 40 parkway backflow preventers have gone missing - at a replacement cost of from $200 for a small copper unit to $1,800 for large units made of brass.

It was enough for Denver City Councilwoman Marcia Johnson to sound the alarm to Mayor John Hickenlooper.

The mayor suggested switching to plastic backflow preventers, but parks personnel say no manufacturer makes plastic units.

Johnson said she was heartened last week when park's officials told her they were trying to replace many of the stolen units.