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Peru:Thieves steal thousands of manhole covers in Lima

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

There has been a significant increase in the theft of manhole covers in Lima, reported SEDAPAL, one of Peru's largest water companies.

The water company has expressed its concern over the thousands of thefts not only because they will have to replace them but because the open manholes are extremely dangerous to citizens living near them.

According to reports issued by SEDAPAL, 2,224 manhole covers were taken in 2006, while 2,597 were stolen the following year.

The most alarming rate is in 2008, when 1,530 covers were taken in the first five months of the year.

The Lima-based water company affirmed that if theft continued at this rate, over 3,000 manhole covers will have been stolen by the end of the year.

The majority of the iron covers where stolen in Lima's northern most districts such as Carabayllo, Comas, Independencia, Los Olivos, Puente Piedra, San Martín de Porres and Ventanilla.

For example, the manhole covers from the first to the sixth block of Micaela Bastidas Avenue in Comas were stolen in one day last week between 4 and 5 in the morning.

According to SEDAPAL, thieves take them because they are made of iron and can be sold on the black market.

The company has reported that it is replacing stolen covers with ones made of concrete or fiberglass.

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# Fred G. says :
16 June, 2008 [ 14:40 ]

Anything for a buck these days. Over a thousand covers and not a one recovered? Man that seems a little odd to say the least.

# Celso says :
16 June, 2008 [ 16:37 ]

I thought the economy was getting better. Yeah Right.
People are do not steal manhole covers unless
they are desperate...  lol

# Daniel Mugaburu says :
16 June, 2008 [ 19:12 ]

Even though the economy is performing amazingly well ON PAPER, a significant segment of the population hasn't seen ANY BENEFITS of this at all.  Only large corporations and their rich families are seeing their coffers fatten up.   Hence the protests in the southern regions over mining benefits.   It's very sad, but I don't know what it will take for this to change :-( 

It's bitterly ironic that given a 13+% economic growth rate, so much misery still remains. 

# Daniel M. says :
16 June, 2008 [ 19:16 ]

And it's even more sad that these very same thieves are endangering the lives of their children, families, and neighbors by uncovering manholes.  Children have fallen and gotten swept by the sewage water, I read on the Spanish version of this news story. 

Very sad, indeed. 

# jim says :
17 June, 2008 [ 08:08 ]

I dontl ive in Peru full time but I wonder, if someone sees a person stealing these do they not call the police? and if they do call will they show up? there seems to be a reluctance to report this stuff

# Cleo Powers says :
17 June, 2008 [ 12:15 ]

Well, I heard different as to the reason the manhole covers are stolen.
The Shinning Path is responsiable. They are only aggitating to let the Peruvian Govt. know  they are still in controll.

# CapitanDan says :
17 June, 2008 [ 13:36 ]

Cleo, As much as I dislike the "Shining Path", I think this is a little beneath them. Pun Intended. This is the work of local thieves to make a few soles from scrap. The Police should check the scrap exporters and find the people that buy from these vandals. Jim, I have had a few incidents with the police. In Piura, While staying at the Hotel Portalas a guest had his Camera stolen from his table by 2 men who distracted the help and then fled on foot.The Police never came to the hotel. While I was sitting in the park directly across the street from the Hotel a shoe shine boy asked if I wanted my shoes shined. My shoe's really didn't need it ,but to help the young man make some money I said ,"Yes". Within seconds a Local Policeman dressed in black armed only with a baton was on the scene telling the young man it was illegal to shine my shoes in the Park. He said, that we would have to walk across the street to finish this transaction. Not wanting to have the young man's head  bashed in or create an international incident I said,"OK". I looked at the young Policeman's scuffed boats and insisted he follow us and the young man would do his boots first and I would pay for it.  At first the policeman was shocked. Then the 3 of us walked across the street in front of the doorway of the Hotel and had our boots and shoes shined. Everyone was happy and no one was hurt. I have more wonderful stories of life with the Police in Peru, but time doesn't permit me. Chau My Friends 

# Dr. William G. Meyers says :
19 July, 2008 [ 17:45 ]

I have a patented inexpensive security device, based on worldwide cargo container security lock,technology to secure manhole covers against theft. Any company manufacturing manhole covers, or selling or installing them, can contact me.

thank you.

Dr. William G. Meyers
Indiana USA
billmeyers@mchsi.com

# Cleo Powers says :
20 July, 2008 [ 19:00 ]

Well, I suppose with all the manhole covers missing, it would be logical to say, the manufacturing plant that makes the covers will undoubtly profit from the vandals unless of course they were the ones that stole them in the first place. I'm sure the makers will make a sizeable sum on the new ones. Food for thought, so to speak!

# CapitanDan says :
20 July, 2008 [ 22:49 ]

Cleo, In Peru I wouldn't be surprised at anything.Chau